PAST STRIKES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 18, 22 January 1924, Page 7

PAST STRIKES

OF SHORT DURATION ONLY.

With its thickly congested populations scattered at given points all over the country, Great Britain has always suf fered deeply as a result of the transportation strikes which have taken place from time_ to time. Large population? such as exist in various parts of theUn* ted Kingdom mean that workers are often unable to live in close'proximity to tlieir work,, and accordingly rely on vari ous forms'of locomotion," the. cheapest and most reliable being the railway tram Hence, the distress whicli is caused when any hitch occurs in railway transportation, especially if it lasts for any length'of time. Of recent years the most serious strike' causing a dislocation of the railway services of Great Britain started on 18th August 1911 The north and west of England were particularly affected, no trains running 'at all. In and around London, however the companies were able to maintain a moderate service.

Ihe following day the strikers got somewhat out of hand, and a riot at LlaneUy (Wales) ended in soldiers, who had Ween .called out, firing on the mob Two men were killed and several injured. The riots were resumed in the evening when the mob set fire to some goods-sheds an 4 trucks, one of which contained explosives. These exploded and caused the deaths of four persons and injured several others, of whom one later diccl.

As a result of conferences at the office of the Board of Trade, in which the Prime Minister (Mr. H. H. Asquith) and the President of the Board of Trade (Mr Sydney Buxton) • took part, the strike was declared to be at an end both employers find employees agreeing to the Government proposal to appoint a Royal Commission- to investigate the working of the Railway Conciliation and Arbitration scheme of "1907 The Commission was to report without loss of time as to what changes, if any, were desirable with a view to the prompt and satisfactory settlement of differences. Serious rioting wag continued for about three days, most of the attacks being against the Jews whose houses re eeived a severe handling, but gradually the workers settled back into their places and awaited the report of tile Royal Commission. . J

On 20th October. 1911. this report was issued It recommended a number of amendments, one of which provided for ii partial '"recognition" of the'unions by the employers, the men being accorded the right to appoint, theii1 secretary as advocate on a Conciliation Board, 'prov.iAui2 he was considered "a.suitable aw.

[son." On 4th November, -afterVa four days' conference, of the joint executives of the railways' workers' unions, it was announced that a ballot of all members would be taken to decide whether the workers would accept the findings of the Royal Commission. The alternative was a further strike for full recognition of the unions, and in favour of a programme for all' railway men. The ballot papers were made returnable on sth December, a date which would enable a strike to be declared in time to affect the Christmas traffic on the railways. The vote went in favour of the report, and trouble for a time was averted, though there still remained a great deal of dissatisfaction pmong the men. THE SECOND STRIKE.

The second great railway strike started on 26th September, 1919, at midnight, all British railway workers being called out by the National Union of Railwaymen. This sudden decision was reached only after long conferences with Mr. Lloyd George, who at that time was Prime Minister, the day before. The railwaymen. on that occasion claimed that it was unfair for a man in one grade to receive one rate of pay while another man in the same grade received a different rate. They .called for a minimum rate of £3. The Government promised that special war wages should remain far three months, and should then be reviewed in the light o! the cost of living, but no reduction was to be made on earnings until three mouths after the, cost of living had decreased by 5 per cent. The wages paid at the period of the conference were to remain for at least six months longer, a minimum of £2 being guaranteed, even if the cast of living fell to prewar level.

The..railwayman's executive refused to delay the strike, notwithstanding the agreement' of stabilisation for six months', and their refusal undoubtedly weakened their case in the eyes of the public.

When the strike commenced the Government acted with promptitude in alleviating dangers and discomforts caused iv the paralysis of traffic. Motors and lorries, and even aeroplanes, were mobilised swiftly, but even then there were people wlisse business compelled them to walk long distances.

On Ist October the General Traspsrt Workers' Union met, and, after discussing a general strike, had an interview with the Prime Minister./ Conferences, however, took place without any final decision,' and again two days later a deputation- from the men visited Downing, street. Unfortunately the National Union of Railwaymen declined to accept a truce from the Government, during which it was proposed that negotiations should be resumed and technical points referred to • arbitration. This disappointing decision was made known to the public on 4th October, and the Home Secretary (Air. Edward Shortt) simultaneously appealed to " all well-affected men " to form a Citizens' Guard to act in co-operation with the police in .maintaining order. ' ,

A band of representative trade unionists persisted iii the work of mediation, and on the afternoon of sth October a settlement was signed at Downing street. The terms may be summarised as follovy:—Work to be resumed forth - fwith. Negotiations to be continued and completed by 31st December. Wages to be stabilised at the existing level for six months,- and to be then .reviewed in the,. light of circumstances then existing. No adult railwayman to receive less than" 51s per week, so long as the cost of living, was not less than 110 per cent, above pre-war level. The men to work harmoniously with those who had remained at. their-work, and no man to be prejudiced in any way asa result of the strike. Arrears of wages which had been withheld to be paid after resumption of work.

Thus, the last great railway strike came to an end after only nine days, but not before causing an estimated' loes b the country of £50.000,000. -• ' Tho railwaymen on this occasion 3ecured the 'adoption of a very important principle, i.e., the guarantee of the real value *f wages as against nominal value. Machinery was also set up to deal with any further questions of pay or conditions of, service, which might arise during thel period of Government control of the railways, which was to expire in August, 1921. This machinery comprised a Central Wages Board and a National Wages Board. The unions agreed that if any question could not be settled by the first board, then no strike was to. eventuate until one month after it had been referred to the second board. It was hoped that the terms of the national, settlement would remove all causes of grievance, ' but the men generally were disappointed with the results, and barely were tho final details settled than fresh demarids were made. Advances in wages Kvere sought by all workers, the matter being referred to the Central Wages Board. The board failed 4o- agree though it issued a report on the matter in June, 1920, and as a result the men were awarded a very substantial increment on their pay. Cabinet, in making the pronouncement^ declared it would be impossible to maintain such a high rate of wages, and concluded by saying "The breaking point may be nearer than • many imagine."