The Employers' Federation agreed with the other Unions concerned in
the engineering industry that the lock-out should not apply to their members at once. These Unions are to take a ballot by March 25th on the question whether they will accept the principle laid down by the employers. The General Council of the Trade Union Congress met on Tuesday and tried to please both the extremists and the moderate men. For its violent members it issued a manifesto declaring that the employers sought the "complete destruction" of the Engineers' Unions. On behalf of its moderate members, it proposed that the Govern- ment should be asked to hold an inquiry, under the Industrial Courts Act—a suggestion which we made last week. The Amal- gamated Engineering Union accepted this proposal on Wednes- day. Meanwhile the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation has been discussing with the Federated Engineering and Shipbuilding Unions its demand for the withdrawal of the war bonus of 26s. 6d. a week. No new ships are being ordered, and there is much unemployment in the shipyards. The employers contend that, if the bonus ceased, shipowners, knowing that the labour costs of shipbuilding would not decrease still further, would hasten to place their orders. The Unions plead that it would be a great hardship for the men to lose 26s. 6d. a week all at once, and that the bonus should be removed gradually if at all.
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