The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-08-17 00:00:00

THE CONFERENCE.

h. conference between seven representatives of the
Nailmat rs associ•ation and an equal number of opera-
tives' delegates was held on Tuesday afternoon last, in
the Council Chamber, at Um Exchange, Birmingham,
with a view to effect a settlement of the wages question.
Mr. Ephratm Ball, Chairman of the Masters' Associa-
tion, presided, and the othfre employers present were
Messrs. G. Green, B. Green, 1. Russell, Stephen Wilkes,
Perry, and Laughton. The men's delegates were
Messrs. John Price, Thomas Crawford, Henry Crump,
Noah t ilkes, James Williams, Thomas Lees, Solomon
Westwood. and Joseph Hackett, The Bromsgrove,
Rowley, Sedgley, Halesowen, Oldswinford, Lye, and
Old Hill districts were represented. A long discussion
took place, the masters professing their willingness to
cooperate with the men in revising the list of June last,
and to give a fair remuneration for each class of work.
lostead of giving a uniform advance of 10 per cent. as
;bey had recently proposed, they now offered to take
each class of nails separately, and give an advance that
would bring the price on a proportionate level with the
other work. It was, however, found impossible to come
to any arrangement, for Mr. Price seemed resolved
from the cumme[cAment not to make any concessions at
a/.1 to the employers, and insisted upon the full terms
demanded by tue men being conceded. The operatives'
delegates iudividually and collectively declared that
they could agree to nothing, and would discuss nothing
less than the 1875 list with 10 per cent. discount.
Throughout the conference the delegates showed no
conciliatory disposition towards the employers, having
apparently conic pledged to one decision ooly, and with-
out remaining to see it the masters had any other pro-
posals to make they abruptly left the room. After the
withdrawal of the men the masters prepared a new list,
in accordance with the decision of the association on
the Bth inst. By the new list an advance from 10 to
20 per cent, is granted
.to the operatives upon the list
now in operation, and it is expected that it will shortly
lead to the termination of the strike, as a large number
of the men will probably accept it, and thus reduce the
cower of the men on strike.

On ‘Vedneseay night last a monster meeting of the
oailers now ter strike was held, at the Cross, Old Hill,
receive the report of the delegates who had attended
tile contert::ce beid at Birmingham during the former
par: of tee dy. Mr. Joseph Hackett (one of the dele-
ot,e premeed, and said that the result of the interview
•,eb -hat the employers still refused to comply with de.
wade by them (the representatives) OD beDait of
the men, sod they bad no alternative but to refuse the
terms ofr-red by the masters, became the people reftued
Ico accept them Did they want to work at alO per
cent advance upon that miserable list lately issued ?
(Cries of " No, no; we shall net have it.") if they (the
men would stand by their leaders they never wow('
shouldwith a 10 ‘
be
starved t
aery
ec edndt
radievga e
e
I.l(hrCeel'ileenmetraslsitsetrsEthvewere informed at the meeting
eyn
their promises made te the men, not to reduce them
whuhaePinvldetpletrthi.hta.et day that if they (the masters) had fulfilled
more than 20 per cent., the strike would not have
happened. The men would have managed until the
trade improved, but the employers kept on reduzing
them until at length they were compelled to strike or
else work for nothing. The masters said they could not
afford to give the advance. Where they prepared to
play on until they could afford? (Cries of We can.")
The masters alone could brink the strike to an end by
paying the men their demands. The delegates had
unanimously decided not to move one inch from what
they had demauded at the commencement of the strike.
(dear, hear.)

A resolution was ptssed, amidst clapping of hands and
cheering, approving of the conduct of the delegates
in refusiog to submit to the masters' terms at the con-
ference, and also expressing their determination to play
on until their full demands are conceded by the em-
ployers.
A meeting was held at Halesowen on Tuesday night
last, at which a similar resolution was adopted as that at
Old Hill.-

On Thursday last the nailer held meetings at Nether-
ton, ltowl,y, Woodside, LI Arby Hand, and Blackheath,
and in the evening at Old Hill (the Cross) and Hales-
owen At each place a resolution Waft unanimously car-
ried to continue the strike until the masters yielded the
original d. wand—the 1875 list, less a reduction of 10
per cent. Notwithatandiug the fact that many of them
must already have undergone great privations for want
of resou, °es, the workueorile seemed determined not to
abate their demand or to listen to the proposal of the
masters for a new list on any other basis than that sug-
gested. he leaders appear to count on the masters
giving way soon in consequence of the strike being
joined in by the entire body of nailmakers instead of
being partial as has been the ease in former times.
They say the masters are already put to great shifts to
supply the demand, and only meet their orders by
mutually helping each other in their stocks. ho far as
can be learned none of the nailer. have yet " gone in,"
though it is said some of the masters are trying to make
independent arrangement. There seems, however, to
be a latent tendency to conciliation amongst some
•:1 the elder men, and. possibly, if the list to be issued
by the masters to-day is anything like satisfactory,
here may yet be an understanding between the two
t arties.