The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-27 00:00:00

THE DISPUTE IN THE BUILDING-

TRADE.

Last evening an aggregate meeting of the work-
men in the various branches of the building trade
was convened at St. James's-hall, for the purpose
of clearly ascertaining their opinions on the pro-
posed mode of payment by the hour emanating from
some portion of the master builders. The hall
was densely crowded both with society and non-
society men, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed.
The entrance of the committee and Mr. Potter on
the platform was signalised by cheering, which
lasted for some time.
Mr. .1-Any's, plasterer, having been called to
the chair, opened the meeting with a few observa-
tions soliciting a patient hearing for all speakers,
even if they were oppoied to the object of the
meeting.
Mr. ALLCROFT rose to propose the first resolu-
tion :—" That in the opinion of this meeting, the
payment by the hour introduced by Messrs. Kelk,
Lucas, and Smith is objectionable, because it opens
a wider field for competition, jeopardises the
Saturday 4 o'clock, does away with the payment
of time-and-a-half for overtime, and destroys a
recognised day ; therefore we pledge ourselves
to oppose the system until it is withdrawn." He
said they were met to protest against the proposed
system of payment by the hour. They did
not:like it, believing that it would tend to
lower their position as working men, would
destroy a recognised day's work, and be as de-
grading to the master who offered it as to the man
who accepted it. (Hear.) The master builders hoped
.by appealing to the selfish nature of the workmen
to carry out their object, but they had been disap-
pointed. The men. felt that if they once acceded to
the hour system there was no guarantee that the
masters would not exact fourteen, fifteen, or even
sixteen hours a day in summer, and go back to five,
six, or seven hours in the winter. He entreated his
fellow-men to struggle manfully against the hour-
system, in favour of the nine hours movement,
and to support the men who were locked out.
Mr.WHRELER, plasterer, seconded the resolution.
He ridiculed the idea of foreign workmen being
brought in ; the masters knew their own interests
too well. The speaker then entered into various de-
tails
respecting the lock-out at Messrs. Kelk and
Lucas's works. In his own trade, out of 86 men
locked out two thirds were non-society men, and
not one had gone back. The men in the provinces
were with them ; none were coming up from the
country, and this in itself was a great support. He
was prepared on behalf of his trade to say that if
the masters would pay 6s. per day of 10 hours for
five days, and 3s. for half a day on Saturday, the
men would accept it. He condemned the policy of
the masters in throwing as much labour as pos-
sible into the market, to starve them into submis-
sion.
Mr. GRossMITn supported the resolution, which
was put from the chair, and carried unanimously,
amid loud cheers.
Mr. WRIGHT moved the second resolution,—

"That the men thrown out of work by the new
conditions of the master builders, being willing to
resume their employment, providing the employers
recognise a fixed day, we pledge ourselves to render
every assistance to those at present locked out, and
we urge upon our fellow-workmen of the United
Kingdom the necessity of assisting us to successfully
combat the destructive system of payment by the
hour."

Mr. LEAKE seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
Mr. POTTER then came forward and was loudly
cheered. He said the labour and anxiety he had
lately gone through had so far affected his health
that he was unable to address them at any length.
He felt so strongly the justice of the cause he was
advocating that he cared but little for the want of
sympathy on the part of the press or the public;
he knew that he possessed the confidence of the
thousands of his fellow-workmen, and felt that they
had only to persevere and they must succeed in their
object. (Cheers.)
A vote of thanks to the chairman and the com-
mittee concluded the proceedings.