The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-02-27
My Trade Union
At War
General Secretary, National Union
of TailOrs and Garment Workers.
BY A. CONLEY

Unionist Of long standing and a mem
Der of the r. u. c. General Council
since 1921. He was President Of the
r. u. Congress in 1884 and was the
"fraternal delegate" selected to rep
resent the r. U. c. at the American
Convention Of Labor.
His work for the Tailoring and AL
lied trades has been Of special value
| In 1909, when he undertook the or
ganization Of single body, there were
no less than twenty different unions
which have since been unified in the
present Society.
When war was declared it was clear
to members of the TailOrs' and Gar
ment Workers Union that the indus
try would inevitably be faced with
revolutionary changes-bOth in the
garments to be made and in the meth
DDS of production.
In the first place, we had to antici-
pate a considerable falling off in the
normal requirements Of the trade, as
more and more men felft their civilian
callings to enter the Informed ser
vices. At the same time we could
expect to be called on for colossal
effort to supply those services with
the garments they required
MOmmOth Orders for Material
The latest order for serge battle
dresses comprises 100000 blouses
and 6,00O,OO0 trousers. That job will
be handled by $50 clothing contractors,
whose employees will cut up 5000 miles
of serge to be fashioned into the ser
viceable garments which are now such
a familiar sight in the streets of every
British town.
There are 200 million brass buttons
to be sown neatly on to these suits.
Many of these are hidden buttons,
thus saving Tommy Atkins quite a
few man-years which would other
wise be spent on polishing them.
Another 70 firms are busy with an
order for 100000 greatcoats, which
will require nearly 4,0C0 miles of the
heavy waterproofed cloth which York
shire produces specially for the Army.
This is only fragment of the vast
quantity of uniform clothing and un-
derclothing being produced for the
Army, Navy and Air Force, and in
addition for the Voluntary Civil De-
fense services, Hospitals, etc.
Workers Who Understand TOmmy's
Needs
Our 10000 members-over 100000
of them women-have set about these
tasks with the energy and resolution
you might expect from body of
workers always distinguished for its
zeal in the cause of democracy. They
understand perfectly the enormous
Importance to the man in the armed
forces of clothing able to withstand
the wear and tear Of active service.
And their zeal has been heightened
by their own experiences in the blitz
Some of our branches suffered heavily
through the destruction of business
premises in the East End of London in
the earlier attacks.
Since then, of course, the destruc-
tiveness Of these attacks has been
greatly lessened by measures of pro-
lection in which our members Gin
common with their fellow workers in
other industries) have played their
part. But the experience has certain
ly heightened the determination Of our
people to hasten the day when the
weapons of slaughter and destruction
shall be wrested from the hand of
the aggressor
| am glad to say that in the worst
bomber areas our Union Branches are
carrying on as in normal times.
Graphing With Wartime Problems
Intensifcation of effort has newt
ably meant some dislocation of stand
ard procedure with regard to wage
fixing. am not going to pretend that
here we have not had difficulties aris-
| ing out of the war circumstances
| Nevertheless, we have succeeded in
maintaining the standard Of living for
our members on level comparative
with that existing prior to the out
break of war. Cost of living has in
creased E5 per cent, and wage in
creases amount to over 20 per cent.
We have enjoyed the advantages of
collaboration with our fellow trade
uniOnists.
The Trade Union Congress, to which
we are affiliated, was taken into con-
sultation by the Government from
the beginning Of the War, and it's rec
concentrations with regard to ques-
tions Of man-poWer, wages, and con-
dtons Of work have been taken into
full account by Government depart
ments.
Through the IT. u. G. we are repre-
sented on the Joint Consultative Com
mittee of the Trades Unions and En-
ployers, to which the Government
turns for advice on such matters. Act
ing in consultation with this body, the
Minister of Labor, Mr. Ernest Bevin,
has set up tribunal which can make
short work of an obstructive employ
er.
Welfare Work Maintained
The Minister has also established a
Factory Welfare Committee, whose