13 JANUARY 1950, Page 15

Shop Stewards

is with interest that I read J. M. Anderson's article, Shop Stewards, in the Spectator of December 30th, and as the role of a shop steward is misunderstood by millions of those who have never come in contact with workshop life, where shop stewards operate, I am actuated by a desire to assist your readers to obtain a much clearer understanding of the role of a shop steward, especially in my own union. Shop stewards are not something new in the trade-union world ; they have been in existence for years, even prior to the Shop Stewards' Council of 1914-18. And even this Council, by the way, was not set up to prevent any section of the community "being 1lowed to do too well out of the war." Its "aims and objects" were far wider and much more important.

Shop stewards today are not the ginger group your readers imagine

them to be. They have a definite place in the constitution of the union ; they are democratically elected and as representatives of the union at the point of production they elect their representative to membership of an elected District Committee of the union. In these days of complex political and economic problems, our shop stewards have an onerous task, especially when loyalty, sincerity and honesty to their trade-union principles is often rewarded with victimisation from the employers, which in the past has driven many good trade unionists from the industry.—

London North District Secretary,

155 Fortess Road, N.W.5. Amalgamated Engineering Union.