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

the fact that the great mass of workers on strike hare
pledged themselves not to resume work linder any con-
dition at a less price than they ask. Great surprise is
uttered at the small advance the masters otter, especially
as the operatives have been reduced as much as forty per
sent, in some cases. The proposal of the masters will,
It is believed, temi to the further prolongation of the
strike, as the nailers, notwithstanding their great priva-
tions, are maintaining a determined attitude of resist
ance, often repeating the words "That they may as well
starve to death with no work as starve to death with
Work."

On Saturday evening last a meeting of nailers on
strike was held, in the cattle Market, Bromsgrove, to
consider the decision of the meters at their meeting in
Birmingham, on the Bth inst. It was decided to send
two delegates from their aistrict to meet the masters at
their meeting, and to send also four other members of
the committee with them, two to help them and confer
with them as to any difticulty which may arise at that
meeting. but not to attend the meeting. It was also
decided to continue the strike until the masters have
come to a satisfactory settlement of the question, and to
recommend the leaders of the men in the up-country
districts to adopt the cams course with respect to the
meeting with the masters.

In the districts of Sedgley and upper and Lower
, Gornal, the employers in the nail trade have notified to
the operatives that they are willing to adopt the 187$
list. less 20 per cent., but are fully determined not to
; make any further concessions so long as the nail trade
; remains in a depressed condition. In the event of trade
reviving, they state they will be willing to meet the
operatives and discuss the propriety of giving a further
• advance in wages. On the other hand the operatives
state that at the present time the employers are in a
position to give the required advance in wages, and
further contend that as they cannot get a living at the
present prices it is the duty of the employers to make
the required concessions. Although in the most
deplorable state of poverty, they declare that they will
not return to work until they have obtained the wages
they are seeking.
A. mass open-air meeting of the nailera now on strike
in the 0 d Hill and Halesowen district was held on
Monday morning, at the Cross, Old Hill, for the purpose
of eousid ring the proposal emanating from the em-
ployers for a conference of representatives of the
misters and meu to make out a new wages list. Mr.
John Price presided, and alluding to the proposed con-
ference, said the masters were well acquaieted with the
resolutions which uad gone forth from the committee,
and confirmed afterwards at large meetings of the operas
tives, and he could not see the use of the masters
offering any other terms than those demanded by the
men. (Hear, hear.) What did the masters want to
meet them for? If they would concede the demands of
the men there would be no necessity for a conference.
(Hear, hear.) They were not now striking against a
trifling reduction, hut repeated reductions amounting in
the aggregate to 42e per cent. He knew the masters
would en,eavour to convince the men of the necessity
of submittiug, under existing circumstances, to a com-
promise as suggested by them; but since the intentions
of the mestere had been made known he had called
meetings in the various districts, and the unanimous
decision was to demand in full the advance required by
the resolution which had already gone forth on behalf
of the millers, which was a net revised list at the rate
of ten per cent. reduction from the list of 1875, to be
paid on all classes of work including also coopers'
rivets. He was authorised to attend the conference,
and to tell the masters, on behalf of the men, that they
would not accept any compromise. (Hear, hear.) Be-
fore the di.pnte was settled the matters would have to
meet together and frame a list in accardance with the
original demands of the men, to be submitted to the
executive for their approve' He considered that the
meeting between the masters an I men would prove
fruitless, as the men were not prepared to accept the
terms of the masters. The masters said that if the ad-
vance was granted it would not be continued for a
month, but if the mailers accepted any more reductions
it would be their own fault. He had the fullest confi-
dence, however, in the 24,000 nailmakers in South
Stafferdshire, and believed they would not accept any
Wore reeuetions. (Hear, hear.) So deterininel were
,he men in that district that, if the Browsgrove men
accepted the toms offered by the masters, they should
fight out the battle themselves. He believed they would
be all at work in a few days. (Voices: "We don't want
to go to work; we are going hopping.")--At the close
of the meeting a resolution expressing their determine.
tion not to accept any compromise from the masters,
but to abide by the former resolutions, was adopted with
the utmost enthusiasm.