Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-12-01
European | abor Affairs !
81. !, 3 81 aas z

dispute is to be put down.
Most European nations are repre-
scented at the Sixth International Con-
vention of Metalworkers, which sat at
Birmingham, England, on October 81,
November l, and November 2. Amer
/ lea is associated with the Information
al Metalworkers' Association, but was
mot represented at the Congress.
lEighty-one delegates attended. Al be-
ing British and the rest attending on
behalf of the metalworkers of Ger
many, Austria, France, Belgium, Hol-
land, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and
even Finland. The membership of the
international Metalworkers' Fedora
ton has risen from $4,000 in June.
Ei9O7, to 100000 at the end of last
year, and the number of affiliated un-
ions increased in the same time from
So to As.
The president of the British Metal
Trades Federation, Walls, presided
over the International Convention.
He declared that the Federation was
travelling wildly in the direction of be-
coming the most important industrial
federation in Europe and he hoped to
see at the next Congress American
delegates.
1 Mayn of the foreign delegates COM
planned that England-the country
with the strongest trade union organi-
zation-had done least of all the aft
lliated nations in the direction of inter-
national federation. German delegate
lCohen complained of the lick of sup
port extended by English trade union
lists to foreign workers coming, to this
country and offered, on behalf of the
German metalworkers societies, to
,lplace sum of money in the Bank of
england as a guarantee of the ex-
lpenses which might be incurred by
English unions in supporting German
workers in this country.
i A French delegate, resented certain
attacks made by the German delegates
on the Trade Union methods OF
France and threatened that If the
congress discussed tactics instead Of
practical work the French delegates
would not attend next time.
An English delegate declared that
lno section of the worlds workers had
Idone 1.-THE of the work Of the in
Iternational movement that the British
workers had done. The active work
lof the convention was mainly concern
led with discussing plans for closer and
wider federation and the prevention
LOT any kind of international black
logging in the metal trades.
4 An important strike is threatened at
Liverpool of the carters-the men in
lcharge of the horsed goods trolleys
transporting stuff from the quays and
railway stations to their various
Liverpool destinations. The men are
asking for reduction of their average
hours from rs per week to IS per week
and they contend that this could be
manager without in any way lessening
the amount of the work done. They
ask TO ar Saturday afternoon holiday,
and payment for Sundays, Bank holi-
days, Good Friday and Christmas day,
when no work is done.
! The union consists of about 1000
men, some of whom handle personally
five thousand dollars worth of goods a
lday. Very frequently the carriers of
Liverpool are responsible for the
movement in one day of five million
dollars worth of crate. There is a
possibility of another 1000 carriers
Joining the movement. At the present
time the men work 121k hours per day
lor Sc per week, 11k hours on Satur-
,day, and get one hour on Sunday to
Hook after their horses.
Prime Minister BRAND of France is
receiving the homage of the capitalist
lpress of the whole of Europe for his
alleged mastery handling OF the
French railway strike. Adulation even
follows upon his statement that il it
lis necessary, he, the representative of
law and order. would have resorted to
Illegal means to suppress the strike.
This ex-Socialist and ex-belieyer inland
supporter of and ex-promoter of the
general strike snow relied upon by the
Ebourgoise republic of France as its de-
ldenfer, its champion against the
wicked railway men, who dared to ask
flor raise in their wages to a level of
lone dollar day. Still the chapter is
mot closed. We shall see.
~ 81 ~