Freedom in Durham
The developments in the Durham closed-shop controversy are equally Creditable to the professional associations concerned, particularly the National Union of Teachers, and the Minister of Education. The attempt of the Labour-dominated Durham County Council to insist that all its employees, whether wage- earning or salary-earning, should belong to a trade union having failed, the Council took, in default, to questioning every newly- appointed doctor or teacher about his or her union membership. The National Union of Teachers resisted that also, and instructed its members to sign strike notices which would be handed to the Council if necessary. It will apparently not be necessary, thanks to Mr. Tomlinson's timely intervention. Exercising powers conferred on him by the Education Act of 1944, he has directed the Durham Local Education Authority "'to refrain from taking any steps to ascertain whether applicants for teaching posts at the disposal of the authority are, or intend to become, members of a trade union or a professional organisation." This is cate- gorical, and it carries the more weight coming from a Labour Minister to a Labour local authority. The Durham Council has only its own obduracy to thank for this public rebuke, for Labour Ministers had already indicated, less obtrusively, their disapproval of the Durham County Council's whole attitude. Not many blows are struck for freedom in these days. This is not a resounding one, but it is notable enough to be hailed with considerable satisfaction.
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