New-York tribune., 1918-07-25
Munitions Workers Start
Strike in Factories In
Birmingham
Coventry Troubles
Laid to Pacifists
Woolwich T oilers Denounce
Strikers as Deserving
To Be Shot

LONDON, July ga strike OF mu-
nitions workers began ct Firmingha"
at o'clock this evening, the hour the
day workers finished their work ana
when the night shift was to come o"
duty. according to dispatch to the
Central News from Birmingham.
The aggregate membership oil the
twelve societies affiliated with the joint
committee of the engineering trades
unions is about $1,000, including about
3 600 women. Officials of the JOINT
committee say they have no reason 10
doubt that all tie workers will be loyal
to the resolution to stop work.
Warn Against Strike
The Woolwich Arsenal workers held
meeting o-day, after which they
telegraphed the Coventry munitions
workers as follows:
"Strike now and you will earn the
blessings of the Kaiser and his army
of murderers. But you VIII earn
the lasting condemnation OF all those
who are fighting and working IN the
Allied nations to gain real 1reeoon'
for civilization. We warn you serl.
ously. if you persist in striking, that
this government owes IT to your
brave brothers, who are fighting the
Germans with their life's blood wn'ie
YOU are fighting with words and tull
bellies. that you may be lmmeolately
put in the front of the firing llne
and that your leaders should be Sh0I'
Strike, and you may go to hell;
Woolwich will remain at worn Hle
earn the right to shake the mana Oh
g
The Trades Union Advisory Commit
tee has been summoned by the Min
istry of Munitions to conference
Thurs sdav to discuss the labor troubles
at Coventry and the general labor i.c.
sition. How far the union officials VIII
be able to influence the situation is I'M
possible to say
According to several reports from
Coventry in the morning newspapers,
the strikers are not only defying the
government but also the trades union
leaders, and have overthrown their
local leaders.
the strikers are nearly all young men
of military age who took refuge in the
engineering trade from conscriptlon
earlier in the war and, it is said, are
prepared to 90 to any lengths to evade
active service.
Disparity in Wages
On the other hand, one of the main
causes of discomfort is said to be the
fact that semi-skilled youngsters who
have acquired all the engineering
knowledge they possess during the
war are earning much higher wages
than the older skilled men because the
youngsters are paid at piece rates
while the older men get time rates
This is said to be only one among a
complexity of grievances which can
be traced, according to some reports
to bureaucratic ineptitude. At the
impossible to attempt to lower the
piece rates, as it is declared this would
result in a national strike of far great
er dimensions.
To the series of real or fancied
grievances against the Ministry OF
Munitions and government officials as
causes of the unrest must be added
according to the general testimony, a
strong pacifst intrigue.
Workers Fanatical
Alexander NJ. Thompson, q Socialist
and editor of "The Clarion" and who
is reporting the strike for "The Daily
Mail" writes of fierce fanaticisn1
among the workers. The war faction
among the workers quotes speaker
at public meeting as saying:
The more munitions you make the
longer the war will last"
At another meeting a local trades
union secretary is reported to have de
clared:
ut is our duty to hold up munitions
bring Lloyd George to his knees anc
compel him to make a decent peace"
Such instances, says Thompson, are
many and endless. He adds that the
pacifsts are untiring in their insdi
GUS propaganda and that there is
group Of them in every work. shop.