THE JOINT BOARD, REPRESENTING THE Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, The General Federation of Trade Unions, and The Labour Party. W. C. Steadman, J.P., M.P., W. A. Appleton, J. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P. 168-170, Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London, E.C. November 26th, 1907. A meeting of the above was held at the· office of the General Federation of Trade Unions on the above date. Mr. Alex. Wllkie, M.P., presided, and there were also in attendance Mr. W. C. Steadman, M.P., Mr. Will Thorne, M.P., Mr. W. A. Appleton, and Mr. Pease, the latter representing the L.R.C. Alderman Allen Gee, J.P., wrote regretting his inability to attend. Seoretary.-It waS Resolved-That Mr. W. A. Appleton be appointed Secretary in the place of Mr. Isaac H. Mitchell, resigned. Importation and Exportation of Blacklegs.-The National Labourers' Council asked through Mr. Sexton that the Joint Board receive a deputation from the societies most concerned with this matter, and it was Resolved-That this deputation be asked to attend the next meeting of the Joint Board. Municipal Employees' Assooiation.-It was decided that the considera­ tion of this Associatiou's affiliation. to the various representative labour move­ ments be deferred, in order that any objections might be definitely stated by the societies interested. Meetings of the Board.-Those present expressed themselves strongly in favour of fixed dates for the meeting of the Board, and the Secretary was instructed to try and arrange suitable times. Agenda fol' Joint Board.-It was Resolved-That in future the matters to be brought before the Board be indicat8d on the notice convening the meeting, those desiring the consideration of subjects to notify the Secretary seven days before the Board meetl:l. i I.\ Privale and Confidential. I I I THE JOINT BOARD, REPRESENTlNG I \ \ The Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, , The General Federation of Trade Unions, and the I.abour Party. W. C, Steadman, J.P., M,P" W, A. Appleton, J, Ramsay MaoDonald, lP. 25th February, 1908. A meeting of the above, was held at the office of thE: Labour Party on the 25th of February, 1908, and there were present Mr. David Shackleton, M.P., Mr. A. H. Gill, M.P., Mr. Alex. Wilkie, J.P., M.P., and Mr. W. C. Steadman, M.P., representing the Parliamentary Oommittee of the 'l'rades Union Congress; Mr. Pete Ourran, M.P., Mr. John Ward, M.P., Alderman A11en Gee, J.P., and Mr. W. A. Appleton, representing the General Federation; Mr. A. Henderson, M.P., Mr. J. R. Olynes, M.P., Mr. W. O. Robinson and Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., representing the Labour Party. It wa[;- Resolved: That Mr. D. J. Shackleton, M.P., take the chair. The minutes of the meeting held on 26th November, 1907, were read and confirmed. Eleotion of Offioers.-It was- ., ( 1 Resolved: That Mr. David J. Shnekletonj M.P., be the Preaident of the "Board for the ensuing year; that ML'.p"'. Henderson, M.P., be the Vice­ President, and Mr. W. A. Appletoll theSecretary responsible for the convening of meetings, the preparatio'u of agendas, ' and the taking of minutes. Oorrespondenoe.-Mr. Appleton reporte.d receiving correspondence relative to the differences between the Municipal Employes' Associ~tion and the Gasworkers and General Labourers' Union, and it was- I Resolved: That the Secretary supply each member of t,he Board with copies of the resolutions bearing on such differences which had been passed by the Trades Union Oongress and the Joint Board, along with copies of the new rules of the Municipal Employes. It waS further- Resolved: That the whole matter be discussed at a special meeting of thl Joint Board, to be held at the Labour Party's Office on March 17th, 1\.)08, at noon. Exportation of Blacklegs.-The correspondence conn~cte~l with .the protests of the National Labourers' Council and other. orgamsatloDS ~galDst the importation and exportation of blacklegs was dIscussed, and It was L THE JOINT BOARD, reported that the Labour Party had already ~ done whatever Parliamentary REPRElSENTING usage llermitted.. They had been uus~ccessful in the ballot, but they were fully ahve to the Importance of the matter and would do everything possible to The Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress secure the passing of Mr. Will Crooks' Bill for the extension of the Foreign , Enlistments Act. The General Federation of Trade Unions, and The Labour Party. Resolved: That a letter be sent to the National Labourers' Council --....;=,.. ,=;--- according I y. ~l.'crdal:'bl\: CONSTITUTION OF THE JOINT BOARD. W. C. Steadman, J.P., M,P" W, A. Appleton, J, Ramsay MacDonald, lP, The .Toint Board then proceeded to discuss its constitution, and it decided to recommend for acceptance by its constituent bodies the following :- --....;=H=;--- 1. That the Joint Board shall consist of three representatives and A Special Meeting of the Joint Board was held at the offices of the Labour the secretaries from the Parliamentary Oommittee of the Trades Union Party on the 17th of March, 1908. Congress, the General Federation of Trade Onions, aud the Labour Party. Mr. D. J. Shackleton, M.P., presided. Also in attendance-Mr. C. W. 2. The officers of the Joint Board shall be a President, a Vice­ Bowerman, M.P., Mr. A. H. Gill, M.P., Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., Mr. John Ward, lVLP., Alderman President, and three Secretaries, one of whom should act as Convenin ct Allen Gee, J.P., Ml'. W. C. RobinsoD, and Mr. W. A. Appleton. Secretary, such to be elected at the Annual Meeting. t:I The meeting had been called to take into considel·d.tion the Trade Union 3. The Annual Meeting shall be held on the first vVec1nesday in status of the Municipal Employes' Association. February of each year, and other statutory meetings on the first The previous resolutions of the Trades Union Congress and the Joint Wednesday in May, August, and November of each year. Board were considered, together with the rules of the Municipal Association 4. All expenses sanctioned by the Board shall be borne in equal and the letter of Mr. R. Davies. proportion by the three organisa.tions represented, expenses of repre­ The Joint Board desired that its decisions should not appear to be directed sentatives being paid by the organisations sending them. against any individual organisation, but that it should attempt to deal with an 5. The Joint Boa.rd shall be the body to determine the bon(i jidc~ of important problem by deciding that, within a given time, all unions VI hich any Trade U nioll affiliated, or applying for affiliatioD, to any of the sought to separate workmen from the Trade Union which was organised for constituent orgl1nisations. the phase of industry to which they belonged should be refused recognition by the Trades Union Oongress, the General Federation of Trade Unions, and the .6: The JOillt Bo.ard shall consider and report as to whether new Labour Party. With that object in view the following resolution was passed SOCletJeS connect_d WIth trades already covered by existinG organisations nemo con.:- shall be encouraged or otherwise. 0 That this Board re-adopts the decision of the Trades Union Congress of 1906, 7 ..The Bo~rd shall consider and decide references made to it by any regarding the impropriety or a separation between public and private employcs ODe of Its constItuent bodies regarding questions affecting them jointly, 01' for Trade Union purposes, as follows !- about which some doubt or difference may have arisen as to which body That any method of organisation which seeks to cuvide work~en they properly belong. employed by Public Authorities from their fellows in the. same occupatIOns employed by private firms is detrimental to the best lllterests of Trade . 8. The Board ~hall consider and agree upon joint political or other Unionism. actlOn when such lS deemed to be advantaaeous 01' necessary and is But in view of the fact that the three national organisations have agreed to by all the constituent bodies. t:I .' recognised such unions formed ?f work?r~ employed by the ~tate and the Municipalities, the Joint Board IS of OPllllO~ that no slllgle .u~lOn should be 9. The Board may, in cases of trade disputes, with the concurrence separately dealt with at present, the Board IS, however, of opllllOn that by the of the Executive of the union or unioDs affected, use its influence to bring first day of May, 1910, all these unions of publicly employed workpeople should about a settlement. be assimilated in national unions, and recommen<1s that after that elate no recognition should be given to any sectional union then in existence. The Joint Board further decided to advise Trade Unionists to refrain from assisting in the organisation 01' attempted organisation of such sectional unions. Unemployed Bill.-In view of misleading statement~ made ?y a. s~cLion of the Press it was resolved that the following resolutIOn be llnmedlately published:- The Joint BoaJ;el, representing the Parliamentary Committee o~ the ~~~c1es Union Congress, the Management Committee of the General Fec1er.atlOn of !r,a.c1e Unions and the Labour Party, met to-clay, and amongst oth~r tlnngs consJ(lered the debate on the Unemployed Bill last ~'l·ic1ay. I~ Unanll~lOus:y resolve~l ~o ' k M P W Wilson M P for introcluclllg the BIll, and, m vIew of certam t'11an r... " ., t th t 't f lly resllon statements made during the debate, it desires to sta e .a I was u.