BUTTERWORTH & CO.

That this House notes with great concern the actions of the management of Butterworth & Co., Publishers plc, who have de-recognised their 250 SOGAT employees' union negotiating rights and are seeking to impose increased working hours and new terms and conditions of employment inferior on most counts to those currently in existence, without any negotiation and by the issuance of mass dismissal notices set to expire on 30th September 1991; further notes that this is taking place against a background of a tradition of good industrial relations and where the company has just announced, in its annual report, its 16th successive year of healthy profits with this year's being ú58 million; further notes that this is happening where, after requesting SOGAT to ballot its members on the non-negotiable new package of inferior terms and conditions and where such a ballot was held and on a 94 per cent. ballot return, 96.5 per cent. voted against the proposals and in favour of retaining effective union recognition and negotiations on terms and conditions and is therefore completely immoral and undemocratic; takes the view that those who demand ballots should respect and abide by the outcome of such ballots and asks the Secretary of State for Employment to use his good offices to encourage the company to accept the recent initiative of ACAS to get talks between the parties underway with a view to achieving a negotiated settlement, restoration of recognition and the removal of the threats of dismissal to the workforce.