Labour in the Building Industry

Abstract

A RECENT broadsheet (No. 212) issued by Political and Economic Planning contains a close analysis of the organization of the labour force in the building industry in Great Britain, nationally, on the site and in the trade unions, which represents part of a wider study of industrial relations which was undertaken before, but was interrupted by, the War. The analysis covers all sizes and types of unit, from the very large firms down to the small firms and their groups. It gives a clear picture of the organization of labour on the site including the organizing personnel, the recruitment of foremen and the part played by the trade unions, as well as of the organization of labour in the unions, including the federation branch, the executive committee, the National Joint Council, the rates of wages and payment by results. In the postwar period the latter question will be linked with the questions of prefabrication and of new and more flexible types of training, and the essential changes of practice are unlikely to be secured without a sense of urgency and without Government intervention which can be visualized only as part of a great plan of guaranteed employment for the building industry. With guaranteed employment all sorts of technically desirable changes may well become more acceptable, but the goodwill of the trade unions is indispensable, and this can only be obtained by full and frank consultation, and by democratic discussion both at the national level, in the localities and on the site.