does not justify the National Union of Railwaymen in trying to compel the Company and the Craft Unions to accept something which in itself may be not unreasonable, but which is not enforceable as a right. (g) Shopmen are not moved about, even within their own section, to any extent, and only a negligible number of transfers have taken place, such transfers being exceptional and due to amalgamation and to changes of organisation and management.

(h) The Company agree with the Craft Unions that the earnings of the skilled men on piece-work on the Great Northern Section may be adversely affected by the operation of the Decision.

(i) The effect of the Decision so far as grading is concerned is greatly exaggerated by the Craft Unions. With the exception of one or two grades such as wagon builders and repairers, the number of men in Grades II, III and IV, is very small, and on the whole the men in these grades have on other railways been up-graded from semi-skilled grades and not down-graded.

Conclusions of the Court.

19. We have examined and considered the evidence and admissions and arguments placed before us and find as a fact:

(i) That Decision No. 728 is in operation on all the Rail-
ways in Great Britain with the exception of the
Great Northern and Great Central Sections of the
London and North Eastern Railway.

(ii) That of the 130,000 railway shopmen employed in
Great Britain, upwards of 110,000 are to-day working
under the terms and conditions of Decision No. 728,
and that of 39,000 railway shopmen employed by
the London and North Eastern Railway 26,000 are
working under the same terms and conditions.
(iii) That no exceptional circumstances have been proved
or even alleged against the application of Decision
No. 728 to the said Great Northern Section of the
London and North Eastern Railway.

(iv) That it will be to the advantage of the Railway
Company, the Trade Unions, and the Railway Shop-
men that, so far as possible, the terms and conditions
of employment of railway shopmen should be uniform
throughout Great Britain.

It was also established to our satisfaction that the chief reason for the opposition of the Craft Unions to the application of Decision No. 728 to the railway shopmen on the said Great Northern Section is a genuine and strongly held apprehensionshared in fact by all the Trade Unions-that it will result in many skilled craftsmen being placed in grades below Grade I (as it was termed before us "de-grading") with a consequent loss of status

and reduction in wages, and further that towns may be placed in an unduly low class which would mean a further reduction of

wages.

We have perused Decision No. 728 and the interpretation Decisions given thereunder (especially Decisions Nos. 788 and 816) and are of opinion that the Industrial Court never intended, nor is it provided, that, on the adoption of Decision No. 728, (a), a qualified craftsman should be placed in a grade below Grade I, or (b), speaking generally, a town should be placed in a class that would necessarily reduce the wages of the shopmen there, or (c), merit advances above the ordinary recognised rate previously received by shopmen should be reduced or taken away.

20. Bearing the before-mentioned facts in mind we have arrived at the conclusion that it is advisable that Decision No. 728 should be adopted on the Great Northern Section of the London and North Eastern Railway at the time and under the circumstances hereinafter mentioned.

In our opinion, before the terms and conditions of Decision No. 728 are applied to the said Great Northern Section, the Railway Company and all the Trade Unions should negotiate and agree upon the necessary details involved in such application and that differences (if any) should be brought to the notice of and decided by the Industrial Court before the date that the terms of Decision No. 728 actually commence to operate.

We further think that to provide a reasonable opportunity for successful negotiation and settlement the date when the operation of Decision No. 728 commences should not be earlier than the 1st March, 1925, and, if differences are outstanding at that date then that the commencement thereof should be at such time as the Industrial Court shall in its discretion direct.

21. During the course of the Inquiry reference was made to the absence of negotiating machinery dealing with railway shopmen on the Great Northern Section. The desirability of the establishment of such machinery was recognised and all parties expressed their willingness to take part in promoting a scheme. It is to be observed that, in Decision No. 728, the Industrial Court expressed the hope that it would be possible to set up some machinery for negotiation by which industrial questions affecting the companies and their employees could be dealt with without delay. In our view all parties should meet and forthwith endeavour to agree upon some scheme for assisting negotiations.

22. We desire to record our appreciation of the services of Mr. Ince as Secretary. His labour, ability, and knowledge have greatly assisted us in our work.

We are,
Sir,

Your Obedient Servants, HOLMAN GREGORY, Chairman R. A. AUSTEN-LEIGH. ARTHUR SHAW.

GODFREY H. INCE, Secretary.

15th April, 1924.

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