STATUTORY WAGE REGULATION IN RETAILING: The role of a single wages council

One of the last functions the Commission on Industrial Relations performed before it was wound up towards the end of last year was to produce a report on wage determination in the retail distribution sector. Because of the CIR's dissolution, the report received remarkably little publicity. This was a pity, since it was the culmination of some two years' work, in consultation with representatives from over 50 employers' associations, several trade unions and other spokesmen from the industry. In addition it contains the results of a postal survey of over 2,500 retail establishments and an earnings survey of 13,500 employees — a great deal of original data. Ivor Williams worked for the CIR and took a prominent part in the preparation of the report. In this article he examines the structure and effectiveness of retail wages councils, and in particular the report's recommendation that a revised form of wages council should be retained.