The London Dock Strikes.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 401, 11 September 1889, Page 6

The London Dock Strikes.

London, September 3. The Trades Union Congress of Dundee has advised the various trade unions to render financial support to the men on strike in London. The directors of dock companies have refused to see Burns, who is acting for the strikers, owing to his insulting behaviour. They assert that they can procure abundance of labour if the menaces of the strikers are suppressed. The strikers are enfeebled by hunger. Burns repudiates the charge that he is inciting the strikers to adopt extreme measures. The financial assistance received on behalf of the men on strike averages per day. Increased wages have been granted to postal carmen, gas stokers, machinists, and others, equal to a year. The Riverside strikers number t 00,000, and they are dependent upon donations from other strikers who belong to Societies that are separate and self-supporting. A Dockers' Union has been formed, and fourteen thousand men have joined. The Melbourne donation of £ 1,700 in aid of the strike funds was received with enthusiasm. Sir Donald Currie, member of the House of Commons, and a deputation of shipowners, waited upon the deckowners, and requested the latter to permit them to arrange terms with the dockmen to allow work to proceed pending a settlement of matters in dispute being arrived at. The dockowners were unwilling to accede to this request. The wharfingers at a meeting held to consider the crisis, decided to urge the dockmen to accept the dockowners' proposals for compromise. The dockmen refused.

London, September 3 (evening). The dock labourers who are discharging grain and flour at Liverpool have struck for a shilling a day advance in their wages. The strike now threatens to spread still further. The Dock Companies decline to accede to the shipowners' proposals, and suggest a joint committee of the two interests.

London, September 4. Fresh batches of labouiers are arriving at the Docks daily, notwithstanding the fact that the strikers have a picket of 4,000 strong. The directors of the dock companies have finally refused to act jointly with the shipowners until after the strike is ended. Burns threatens to excite the labourers at Southampton to join the London strikers. At Liverpool the excitement is increasing, but up to the present time only the corn and flour carriers have gone out. They demand "increased wages to 6s per day. Ten thousand tailors, cabinet-makers, and cigar-makers have joined the strikers. The soldiers and police who were ordered to proceed to the docks to suppress any intimidation on the part of the strikers were cheered by the later on their arrival. Several London firms who are executing colonial orders under contract have sent consignments of rolling stock and paper machinery ior shipment at Liverpool, but in consequence of the threatened strike there have transferred the shipments to Glasgow. One hundred thousand shilling relief tickets were issued yesterday, and these were only sufficient to palliate the suffering. The strikers express willingness to abate their original demands with regard to the shipowners and wharfingers, owing to the kindness received at their hands, but are determined not to forego one jot to the dock companies. The Strikers' Central Committee are expected to issue to-day the conditions on which the men may return to work.

Londox, September 5. Employers at Liverpool have conceded an increase of one shilling per day to corn earners. Mrs Gladstone has visited the families of some of the men on strike, and has also subscribed towards their support. The fund raised in aid of the strikers is increasing, Burns states that the strike will extend to Liverpool to counteract the transfer of shipping there, also to Glasgow and Southampton, if necessary, for similar reasons. . ' Canon, Holiand, Mason and Lester, leading clergymen, have written letters in which they express- sympathy with the men on strike. Sir E. W. \Vatkin, member of the House of Commons, ia urging the Dock Companies to concede the demands made by the men on strike. Mr H. Broadhurst, member of the House of Commons, was made an object of attack in connection with the strikes. ~ The annual meeting of the Trades and Labour Congress passed a motion of "No confidence" in Mr Broadhurst by an immense majority. The, lightermen, who struck in sympathy with the dockmen, now insist on having their own demands complied wiih, viz. , six shillings per day of twelve hours. ; There was a riot amongst the tailors at the East End, but it was quelled before any , serious mishap occurred. Seven thousand strikers have arrived at . an amicable arrangement of matters in dispute and have resumed work. 1 r The lighterman and watermen are still determined not to yield in their demands. | (

Many wharf labourers and granarymen are accepting tho terms offered by the employers. The concessions made by the employers are that the rate of wages shall be sixpence an hour for an ordinary day's work, and eightpence per hour for overtime. The minimum day's pay to be two shillings ; also the abolition of contracts, and the sharing of profits equally with the foreman. Burns is desirous of arriving at a rapid settlement with the wharfingers in order to isolate the dock owners. Australia generosity has aroused enthusiasm. Resolutions of sympathy have been received from the United States and Canada, but no money. The situation between the dock companies and strikers remains unchanged, and both sides 9how a dogged resolution not to give way. The vast majority of the labourers on the wharves at Middlesex have resumed work, and some of those on the Surrey side. The Strikers' Committees are yielding to the demands of the wharfingers and granary merchants, and have allowed the strikers to resume work where the demands have been conceded. The Dock Companies pi'opose a conference with shipowners relative to the unloading of vessels at the earliest possible moment. The strike is extending to the ironbuilding and timber trades, although not to general trade.

London, Sepfc. 6. The Amalgamated Engineers' Union have made a levy of threepence per man on sixty thousand members in aid iof the strikers. Other unions are also rendering financial assistance. The directors of the Dock Companies have appealed for police protection for the men who have resumed work. The lightermen have agreed to undertake work for the firms who have con ceded the strikers' demands. Up to the present the strike has cost ;£i, 500,000. Seventeen wharves' warehouses have conceded the terms demanded by the men on strike, and forty have declined to make the concessions asked for. Cardinal Manning says that the order and heroism displayed by the men on strike and their families has been unequalled since the time of the cotton famine. Scores of minor trades have struck in sympathy with the movement.

Berlin, September 6. The London dock strike has bee 11 discussed in Germany. The Emperor William says it is necessary that the State should protect workmen against the unfair demands made by capitalists, and that during the ensuing session of Parliament, legislative action will be taken with the object of ameliorating the condition of labour.

Sydney, September 3. The Local Seamen's Union to-day voted the first instalment of in aid of the London dock strikers. Meetings have been held here, at which general sympathy Was expressed with the London dock labourers. Up to yesterday £1,000 had been j collected in Sydney, £300 in Hobart, £3,500 in Melbourne, £500 in Adelaide, and £700 in Brisbane,

Melbourne, Sept. 6. The Strike Fund here has now reached £5,400, The Melbourne branch of the Federated Seamen's Union, at a meeting held last night, voted towards the assistance of the London strikers. The Melbourne Trades and Labour Council collected in aid of the London dock strike.

Duxedin, Sept. 5. The Federated Seamen's Union have decided to send £200 to the dock labourers on | strike in London. Wellington, Sept. 6. Several of the trades unions in Wellington have resolved to contribute towards the London etrike funds.

London, September 7. Burns had an interview with Lord Mayor Whitehead, Cardinal Manning, Bishop Temple (of London), Sir John Lubbock (of the London University), and Lord Brassey, at the Mansion House to-day, when he agreed that the strikers should resume work at the old rate of wages providing that the dock companies consented that the demand of the strikers should take effect from and after January first. The directors of the dock companies have intimated to the strikers that a reply will be forwarded to-morrow. Forty leading members of the Corn Exchange have warned the dock companies that they will hold them responsible for any loss they may incur owing to the delay in discharging. The dock companies and Burns, the leader of the strikers, have accepted the proposals of Lord Mayor Whitehead, and the strike has ended.

London, September 8. The strikers' committee has refused to ratify the acceptance of Lord Mayor Whiteheads proposals.

Sydney, September 8. At a mass meeting of sympathisers with the strikers £1,200 was collected."' The coal lumpers have voted £250. The Newcastle miners propose to vote £1,000 in aid of the strikers.