The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-03 00:00:00

LABOUR AND WAGES QUESTION.
AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF RAILWAY

SERVANTS.
A very large meeting of the employes of the
Great Western Railway Company was held at the
Labour-in-Vain Inn, Oldswinford, on Sunday
evening. The Chairman of the district presided,
and a deputation from Worcester was present.
The Chairman entreated those present to be
united and work firmly together, and if they did
so he had no doubt that the society would be-
come the greatest hi England. The deputation
from Worcester, who had attended the meeting
in London, gave a sketch of what had transpired
there, and stated that the annual picnic had not
been held this year in consequence of the traffic
on the South Wales line, and the company not
being able to let them have any carriages for the
excursion trains. The company had given them
£l5O in lieu of the picnic, and two gentlemen
had given £5 each to the society.
The Chairman said they all felt very thankful
to the deputation for the kind manner in which
he had given them an account of the society.
The next part of the business was the revised
scale of wages. A gentleman present had pre-
pared that scale, and he would read it to them.
The Gentleman said he had prepared the scale,
but he would have them know that he was per-
fectly satisfied Ngith what wages he got himself,
but most of the 'ffien were not getting good wa-
ges, and therefore he thought he would draw up
the scale, and lay it before them. A foreman to
have from 25e to Ns per week, shunters and
yardsmen 21s to 25s per week, guards the sense
as at present, working 10 hours per day, points-
men 228 to 25s per week, porters 18s to 21s,
platelayers 18s to 21s per week. These men, he
believed, got 15s per week at present; horse-
drivers 14a to 18s per week.
A Platelayer said the last speaker had pro-
posed that platelayers should have from 18s to
21s per week. He only got 17s per week, and it
was very hard for him to work and keep his
family of six out of it. It often made his month
water when he looked into a butcher's window,
and thought that he could not have anything.
He thought they ought to have £1 per week to
enable them to live, now that provisions had
risen to such a price. All the rise he had had
in ten years was Is.
A signalman said he thought all signalmen
should get the same. Another signalman said
he considered that signalmen at the larger sta-
tions like Stourbridge, where there was a great
deal more work, should have more than signal-
men at a place like the Lye or Cradley.
The Chairman said the object of the society
was to secure 10 hours a day for all men.
Another signalman observed that the signal-
men at Stourbridge did not work so many hours
as those at Cradley.
A Voice: The signalmen at Stottrbridge are
on the eight hours' movement.
A signalman moved that the scale referring to
signalmen be raised to 20s, and start at no less
than 28s.

This was seconded and carried.
A platelayer proposed that the platelayers
have 18s per week after they have been on the
line two years.
This was seconded and carried.
A vote of thanks to the deputation from Wor-
cester, and to the Chairman, closed the proceed-
ings.