The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-27 00:00:00

END OF THE STRIKE ON THE
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.

A deputation of Caledonian servants waited on the
general manager of the company on Saturday evening
at Glasgow, and discussed with him a proposal made
by the company to consider the grievances of the men.
After reporting to a meeting of the men, the deputa•
tion returned to the manager, and accepted the corn
pany's proposal, saying they were willing to begin work
on the understanding proposed. The men's offer was
accepted by the company, and orders were issued to
the heads of departments all over the system accord-
ingly. Later on a number of servants were at their
posts helping off the trains and facilitating the despatch
of goods and minerals lying all the week at various
stations. Great satisfaction is expressed in Glasgow at
the result.

The terms are, it is stated, that the men who hal left
the service as far as possible be re•engaged at the old
weekly wages, while the men who had remained faith-
ful and the new ones engaged would not be thrown
over. As regards the universal ten hours a day de-
manded by the men, the company refused this as
impossible. The men acting at important junctions as
signalmen only work eight hours a day, and the
company are not prepared to increase their hours
of labour, nor would they limit the hours of
signalmen to,ten unless the wages were readjusted.
With regard to mineral brakesmenithe company
agreed to make their working day twelve hours on
the cendition that their wages were adjusted; but
they would not agree to pay overtime as at present.
Mineral engine-drivers have all along had a ten hours'
working-day, and had always been paid ordinary time
for overtime, and the company did not see their way
to alter that. As regards Sunday duty and all the
other matters on which the men might consider they
had grievances, the general manager declares his
willingness to meet a deputation on.an early day after
the men have re•entered the service, and to consider
all the points they may have to urge.
On the news of this arrangement being telegraphed
to Dundee, Forfar, Perth, Aberdeen, and other places
at which the men had been on strike, resolutions were
come to by the men generally to resume work.
No sooner has the Caledonian Railway servants'
strike ended than an agitation has sprung up among
the servants of the North British Company.
Some time ago s. petition was presented to Mr.
Walker, general manager of the North British,
the main point of which was that there should be
a fixed day of nine hours to various classes of
servants. Several deputations have been receiv, d
by Mr. Walker on the subject, but no distinct

answer given by him, and en Sunday night a largely-
attended meeting of the men was held in Glasgow,
Their grievances were discussed and a resolution
unanimously come to that the manager be asked to
give a definite answer to the petition by Saturday,
3rd February, and that the men meet next day to con-
sider what steps should be taken.

On Monday, in the Edinburgh district, the Cale-
donian Railway employes who were out on strike ap-
plied to be reinstated into the positions they formerly
occupied. At Princes•street Station, Edinburgh, a
number of men were not taken on their places having
been filled by new hands, while others have to occupy
situations of a lower grade than before. At Leith all
the men have resumed work and on Monday large
quantities of goods which had been accumulating were
sent to Glasgow, Greenock, and elsewhere.