A Lazy Strike

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1 February 1913, Page 1

A Lazy Strike

The following interesting cable item appeared recently in the daily papers:— “ LONDON, January.B. “ As a protest against the second suspension of Knox, the Northeastern railway driver over whom

the strike arose last month, for over-running a signal, the Northeastern railway at Neweastle-on-Tvne and Gateshead have adopted a system of dilatory working in order to delay the company's trains.

“ They are adhering strictly to the letter of the rules in every detail. on similar lines to the Italian strike of 1905. when a liberal interpretation of the rules by the officials reduced the operation of the lines to a state of chaos, and resulted in a suspension of the running of a large proportion of the trains. ”

“ The strike terminated in a victory for the workers involved” might have been added to the cable. One of the most effective weapons of the workers, one which is becoming more and more popular in America and Europe, is the “ passive resistance strike.” It consists. in the ease of railway workers. in each man staying on die job and strictly adhering to the rules and regulations.

Trains are not started till every passenger is safely on the ear platform or inside the ear and ail the doors closed; the speed limit is scrupulously observed, even when the train is fate, and no signals are disregarded; in short, all the miles framed by the company; with the intention that they should he continually violated in practice, are rigidly lived up to by the men during a passive strike. in Italy, Switzerland. Era nee. Austria. England and elsewhere, important concessions have been, and are being, forced from greedy and overbearing employers by these methods. They have been applied with equal success in other in dust ries. & * # 11 ‘ Solidarity of labour is the most vital thing to strive for; solidarity gained, all other problems solve themselves. ’ 5