THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 



Vol. XXVIII. No. 10. 



JANUARY, 1922. 



NOTES FOR THE MONTH. 



The principle of collective bargaining in regard to agricultural 

 wages which was introduced into the industry by the Corn Pro- 



.. duction Acts (Repeal) Act has now been 



Conciliation . ^ . - i i ^ 



Committees tested m a large number oi counties m 

 England and Wales, and, although diffi- 

 culties have been met with, progress on the whole has been more 

 rapid than might have been expected. At a time like the present 

 when the industry is experiencing an unprecedented fall in 

 values, the conciliation machinery is of exceptional value, though 

 the very fact that it is of value and is needed makes its use and 

 application more difficult in practice. 



The agreements which have been made up to now have in most 

 instances been for short periods only, but as the industry tends 

 to become more settled and the principle of the conciliation com- 

 mittees is better understood, agreements for longer terms will 

 no doubt be reached, and the inconveniences arising from con- 

 stant revision of rates will be removed. 



Little use has been made during the past three months of the 

 provision in the Act enabling agreements to be confirmed and 

 thus made legally binding. Here again experience may show 

 that there are substantial advantages in confirmation. 



One provision in the Act which is for the moment practically 

 a dead letter is the one enabling committees to elect an indepen- 

 dent chairman, with, or without power to vote. On the other 

 band many committees have invited a representative of the 

 Ministry to attend their discussions and it has been found that 

 the assistance and co-operation of an independent person not 

 directly connected either v,itli employers or employed is of the- 

 greatest value. 



(40641) P.14/35. 11,500. 12/21. M. &*S. 



A 



