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Whitley Councils

Main article: Whitley Council


During World War I, in 1917, Whitley was appointed to chair a committee to report on 'the Relations of Employers and
Employees' in the wake of the establishment of the shop stewards movement and the widespread protest action against dilution. he smooth running of
industry was vital to the war effort so maintaining good industrial relations was a priority.
!e proposed a system of regular formal consultative meetings between workers and employers,
known to this day as "Whitley Councils". hese would be empowered to cover any issue related to pay and conditions of service,
and to take matters through to arbitration if necessary. his was a strong model which was to influence industrial relations beyond the "#.
he intention was to establish Whitley councils in the private sector, in particular in those industries most affected by the strike wave $ to offset the demand for
%Workers% control % $ a demand which was rapidly gaining ground after the &ussian revolution .
!owever, the councils failed to gain ground in coal, cotton, engineering and other heavy industries, but succeeded only in the sphere of government employment
where they remain a ma'or feature of public sector industrial relations to this day.
( union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organi)ation or company, who represents and defends
the interests of her*his fellow employees but who is also a labor union official. rank+and+file members of the union hold this
position voluntarily ,through democratic election by fellow workers or sometimes by appointment of a higher union body- while maintaining their role
as an employee of the firm. (s a result, the union steward becomes a significant link and conduit of information between the union leadership and rank+and+
file workers.
he duties of a union steward vary according to each labor union%s constitutional mandate for the position. In general, most union stewards perform the
following functions.
/onitor and enforce the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement ,labor contract- to ensure both the firm and union worker are not
violating the terms of the agreement.
0nsure that the firm is in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
&epresent and defend fellow workers whom the firm believes violated company policy or the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining
agreement, often through the grievance process.
1ommunicate and disseminate official union policy, memos and directives to workers in the shop.
2opulari)e and promote union consciousness and values in the workplace.
he Civil !ervice "ational Whitley Council
,thing- by #ndigo!ky Wed 3ul 45 4664 at 17.61.41
During World War I a !ouse of 1ommons committee under the chairmanship of $ % Whitely was established to consider the
8uestion of labour relations in the "nited #ingdom. #nown thereafter as the Whitley 1ommittee it recommended the creation of 3oint
Industrial 1ouncils in order to permanently improve relations between the employer and the employed. Where such councils were
established they became known as Whitely Councils, and whereas the bulk of the private sector ignored the whole thing, the
main 1ivil 9ervice unions and the government reached an ageement in 1919 on a constitution for the 1ivil 9ervice :ational Whitley
1ouncil, which remains the main forum for wage bargaining and other forms of horse+trading between the 1ivil 9ervice "nions and
their employers, the government.
he :ational Whitley 1ouncil still operates in accordance with its original terms of reference, that is, it concerns itself with;
he provision of the best means for utilising the ideas and e<perience of the staff.
he means for securing to the staff a greater share in and responsibility for the determination and observance of the
conditions under which their duties are carried out.
he determination of the general principles governing conditions of service
e.g. recruitment, hours, promotion, discipline, tenure, remuneration andsuperannuation.
he encouragement of the further education of civil servants and their training in higher administration and organi)ation.
he improvement of office machinery and organi)ation and the provision of opportunities for the full consideration of
suggestions by the staff on this sub'ect.
o propose legislation so far as it is has a bearing upon the position of civil servants in relation to their employment.

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