The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-03-11 00:00:00

CLARKE'S

WORLD FAMED

IRONWORKERS' MEETING AT BRIERLEY
HILL.
On Monday morning a mass' meeting of iron-
workers was held in the large lodge room attached
to the Alma Inn, Brierley Hill.—After a chairman
had been elected, he staledthat the object of the
meeting was to consider the propriety of electing
the working section of the new Conciliation Board:
It was time the ironworkers as a body had the
sight to a voice in the matter of a rise or drop in
their wages.—Mr. Capper then addressed the meet-
ing. He said they had to consider the proposals
of the employers as to the form'ation of a Board to
regulate wages in the iron trade, and further, to
consider how far the ironworkers of Brierley Hill
and district concurred in the suggestions thrown
out. Mr. Capper then delivered an earnest ad-
dress, similar to those he had given to the iron-
workers at Smetliviick and Wednesbury. He said,
in addition, that he and Mr. Aucott attended at
the Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, on Thursday last,
and assured the meeting that were there lodges in
connection with ironworks the men would sub-
scribe to the Board's maintenance, and do all in
their power to-keep its authority, and they would
abide by its decision; but where there were no
lodges in connection with the works they (Messrs.
Aucott and Capper) could give no guarantee.
They could not answer for the non-union men.
(Hear, hear.) In the past the masters were bit-
terly in opposition to the combination of the men,
but new they wished it, and were about to canvass
the non-union men at the works. He (Mr. Cap-
per) was about:to secure service of a representative
at each union ironworks, and the masters were
about to try and secure a representative at the
non-union works. (Applause.) It might be said
that the election and the formation were going on
too quickly; but they must remember that the
masters had spoken of the necessity of a reduction
directly, and it would be well that the Board should
.be formed before then; for it would be wiser and
better for the men to elect twelve of the most in-
telligent of their body, who should be present when
the reduction was suggested. It would be to the
interests of the men that they should have the
Board, for the masters could not then propose or
carry a reduction unless they laid before the as
sembled Board a weight of evidence to show that
the " drop " was just, equitable, and necessary.
(Hear hear.) Referring, then, to a local dispnteat
PrimroselHill, Mr. Capper thought there would have
been no great difficulty if the men had been united
It was unfair to ask a puddler to puddle all kinds
of iron at 9s. 6d. per ton, and it was unfair to ask
a pudler to "fettle" his furnace with all kinds of
fettling. (Hear hear.) Hehad no sympathy with
the Primrose Hill men, for they had been led into
the difficulty by following the advice of the " old
woman." (Loud laughter.) If the employers
were wise they would make puddling easier and
more attractive, for puddlers were the people
becoming scarce. Where the inferior fettling had
been given to the men, and he had been called in
he had recommended the men to give the matter
a trial, but at the same time he had advised the
men to ask the manager for extra remuneration.
In each case where this had been done it had been
shown to the employers that the result had not
been satisfactory. He trusted that the movement
was not one made to force upon the men an unjust,
thing during a time of depressed trade otherwise
retaliation might follow. Mr. Capper then re-
ferred, in conclusion, to the case of a lodge secre-
tary who left the union and burnt the lodge books.
A. bank-book having got into the hands of the
ex-secretary, he had employed a solicitor tie- re-
cover, with others, the sum in the bank. (Shame.)
—The Chairman gave a general approval to the
speech of Mr. Capper.—Mr. Aucott then addressed
the meeting-, and reviewed the proceedings in con-
nection with the proposed formation of aConciliation
Board since the early part of January. He wished
the ironworkers to fully understand that he and
Mr. Capper had carried out their instructions,
and after next Monday the questions would be in
the hands of the representatives, elected. by the
ironworkers. -Many of the men might think that
if they elected representatives, and the question
of a drop was brought on as the first business, it
would be better not to elect a board, and let mat-
ters go on as before. If that were done a strike
would certainly result, for the masters would
give notice of a "drop," and the men would
naturally strike, because they could not under-
stand each other. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Aucott then
spoke feelingly of the folly and injury of strikes.
Continuing, he said fifty-eight employers had
given in their adhesion to the scheme, and these
represented about seventy works. Masters and
men had acted honourably and fairly up to the
present time; the masters had received notice of
all works where their was a union, andtlie masters
had sent the men a list of those who intended to
join the movement. As a matter of advice, he
requested the men to elect the best men, and not
all puddlers. He thought that one-half of the re-
presentatives c f the men should be " tonnage "
men. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Aucett then argued in
favour of the scheme, for it was time that capital
and labour in the Midland iron districts should
not look upon each other as antagonistic. The
trade of the district was worth saving, and should
be saved; it should not be driven away by violent
means. He was willing to accept a reduction in
his wages if it could bb logically proved to him
that it was just and necessary. (dear, hear.) A
notice for a drop was not logical—it only meant
"you must." (Laughter.) Ile wished to hint to
the masters that too geoid a reduction would
retaliate upon- th.eols..ilVl6. If wages were dropped
5)10W that a puddler s wages were no inere than a
labourer's viagts, no one would burn out his
brains in front of a pndaiing furnace. (No one.)
In conclusion Mr. Aucott said old South Stafford-
shire could hold its own if masters and men went
hand in hand. (Applause.)—Mr. Capper having
been requested to form a resolution, suggested the
follow " That "this meeting, accepts the
proposals submitted by the employers for a Wag(
Board,' and pledges itself to elect works represent-
atives throughout the district during the present
week; and the arrancrements of details and nll
necessary byulaws to be left to be dealt with and
introduced by the Standing Committee." The
resolution was carried unaunnously.—Mr. Aucott,
in reply to a question, said he should argue in
favour of half the Standing Committee of the men
being non-union men, otherwise there would be
quarrels and disputes, and the non-unionists would
resist the authority of the Board on the ground
that they were not represented.—Mr. Capper also
advised the union men to join the non-unionists
on the Board, for by their example they would
soon convert the others, especially as at the pre-
sent moment the masters were helping to unite
the men.—Votes of thanks to Messrs. Aucott
and Capper, and to the chairman, concluded the
business.

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