SECRET
C.P. (49) 215
24th October, 1949
Page 448
Printed for the Cabinet. October 1949
31 Copy No.
CABINET
ERMANY
LORD HENDERSON'S VISIT TO GERMAN
NOTE BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
I circulate, for the information of my colleagues, a report made to me by Lord Henderson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on his recent visit to Germany.
Foreign Office, S. W. 1,
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24th October, 1949.
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NOTE BY THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD HENDERSON) ON HIS VISIT TO GERMANY, 13TH-20TH SEPTEMBER, 1949
I spent the period 13th-20th September in Germany, visiting the Ruhr, Bonn and Frankfurt. "I held discussions with a number of leading Germans, including the Federal Chancellor, the Federal President, Dr. Schumacher, the Minister- President and other Ministers of the Land Government of North Rhine-West- phalia, and representatives of the Trade Unions and Employers' Organisations. I was also able to have discussions with the British and American High Commissioners and a short talk with the French High Commissioner.
A. The Trade Unions and the Employers' Organisations
Unfortunately Dr. Boeckler, the outstanding personality in the German Trade Unions, was away from the Ruhr at the time of my visit as he was con- ducting negotiations at Munich for the fusion of the Unions of the Western Zones into a single Federation. One of the questions I had intended discussing with him was the question of Joint Consultation between employers and the Trade Unions-we have for some time been endeavouring to promote discussions, but progress has been slow. I saw his two deputies, Herr vom Hoff and Herr Foecher, who in response to my enquiry told me that talks on Joint Consultation were soon to be started with representatives of the Employers' Associations. was confirmed later when I met Herr Lobeck, the Secretary of the Employers' Association for the British Zone, who had visited this country to study our system of industrial relations, and Herr Bielstein, the Chairman of the North Rhine- Westphalia Employers' Association. They assured me that their attitude in this matter was a sympathetic one. I have arranged to be kept informed of developments.
This
I also saw Herr August Schmidt, the Chairman of the Mineworkers' Union in the British Zone He informed me that a meeting of the Trizonal Executive of the Uniongather this morning had approved the decision which had been
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