The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-02-03 00:00:00

JOLLY WET.

Hooray ! It rains, it pelts, it pours,
At work! shall be free from bores,
Who call and stay. The storm that roars,
The wet, will keep them all in-doors.
I've but to dread the Postman's knock,
A sharp but momentary shock,
11l hope that it may bring no worse,
Than some attempt upon my purse.
Prospectus, Circular, or pull,
Into the fire just won't I stuff,
And smile, as to myself I say,
" That postage-stamp is thrown away ''—food:

THE RAILWAY SERVANTS' AGITATION.

On Sunday evening a crowded meeting of railway
servants was held at the " Montpellier," Wa'worth,
London, in support of the present movement for the
amelioration of their condition. Mr. Baxter Langley
in the chair.

The secretary, Mr. Chapman, reported that on the
previous evening he attended a meeting of railway
servants at the " Stanford Arms," Brighton, when
some of them made loud complaints of long hours of
work. One man said he sometimes worked 37 hours at
a stretch. Another man worked 27 hours, and
did not get a farthing extra pay. Instances were
given in which men who worked seven, nine,
and even fifteen weeks received no pay, but got it in a
lump RUM, which to their families was a matter of
great inconvenience. A large number of men com-
plained that a pair of trousers each, due to them on
the lot December, 1870, and one pair with an overcoat,
due lit December, 1871, bad been withheld from them.
At the close of the meeting a branch of the Railway
Servants' Society was formed, and several members
enrolled. That (Sunday) night meetings were being
held at Birmingham and Doncaster, and at each place
300 men were coming forward to join the society. In
Manchester some 180 booking clerks were about to
form a branch there.

The Chairman remarked that during the last fort-
night he had met among the public unanimous sym-
pathy with the railway servants agitation. There
could be no doubt the men would have a large support
in their demands from the middle classes; but while
they should not decline middle-class help and brains,
let them not allow the middle-classes to patronise them.
They nmst adopt two cosines towards the directors;
they must be respectful and yet firm They must use
no threat, because a threat was the action of a weak
man. There was no reason why the new society should
not become as great an organization as that of the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers.
A porter asked if the Society was to be registered
under the Act. _ . .

Mr. Chapman : It would, under the Trades' Union
Act.

The porter said if that was the cage hundreds would
join it, because then the funds would be safe.
It was then resolvedthat the council should be asked
to have the smelt ty at once registered.
Resolutions in favour of the ten hours movement
were passed, and thanks to the Chairman closed the
meeting.

A numerously-attended meeting of railway uards
ticket collectfirs, signalmen, policemen, porters, and
others, employed on the North-Eastern Railway, was
held at the "Pine-apple Inn," Newcastle on-Tyne, on
Sunday afternoon, to consider the long hours they
have to serve, and what they deem the inadequate pay
that they receive from the company. The following
resolutions were agreed to, to be submitted to the
directors:—

1. That all guards, assistant guards, and ticket collectors
be advanced 28. per week.
2. That six working days at ten hours per day constitute a
week's work ; overtime to be paid at the rate of six days per
week, instead of seven as at present.
•

3. That all Sunday duty be paid at the rate of a day and a

4. That all porters be paid ISs. per week for the first year,
and 20s. per week afterwards; hours to be the same as guards ;
time and a half for Sunday duty.

5. That guards, porters, and ticket collectors have one
week holiday yearly, wages being paid as usual, each having
a free pass for his wife and family.
G. That each empimo,, in case of sickness, receive full pay
during six weeks, and half-pay afterwards, providing he
holds a doctor's certificate that his illness has not been
brought on by his misconduct.
7. That no man be discharged from the company's service
till his case be brought before the directors."

The engine drivers and firemen employed upon the
northern section of the North-Eastern Railway also
held a meeting on Sunday afternoon, to consider their
grievances. Upwards of one hundred engine-drivers
and firemen were present. A memorial to the follow-
ing effect was drawn up, to he submitted to the
manager, Mr. Fletcher :

"That the wages of driven and fireman be unaltered;
that the wages of coal guards be 3s. fid. a day, and that the
day consist, AS at present, of ten hours ; that each driver
and fireman be admitted into the shop to attend to their
own engine, not to be laid off 'not wanted ' on the 'shop
day,' or the day following the 'shop day,' mitres the engine
be laid off as well ; that in all classes where any man should
work beyond ten hours a day, the time worked to be
counted by the hour and paid for by the hour, instead of by
the quarter or half day as in the past."