The Court of Appeal on Monday did a real service
to sensible trade unionists by reversing the recent judgment of Mr. Justice Eve in the cases of Braithwaite v. Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Ashley v. General Union of Operative Car- penters. Braithwaite and Ashley had long been in the service of Messrs. Lever Brothers. Since 1909 they had benefited by the co-partnership trust voluntarily instituted by Lord Lever- hulme. Ten years later the executives of their two unions suddenly declared that the men must give up their co-partner- ship benefits or be expelled from the unions. Twenty- eight unions with members in the firm's employ raised no objection to the oo-partnership ; the two carpenters' unions alone complained of it, although the men were paid full trade union wages. Mr. Justice Eve on a technical point felt bound to decide in favour of the unions. The Court of Appeal, also for technical reasons, was able to decide in favour of the men and thus to remedy what seemed a monstrous injustice.
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