John R. Raynes

“ Bromley said, "I will give them of our best drivers on the top of their present service, and then beat them." The solidarity of all grades paralysed the nation, and taught the travelling public to respect the railway worker. The postal service was wiped out, and parcels post was entirely obliterated. The road transport service was totally inadequate, and all the dependence on this system proved a delusion. ”

“ The War Wage will have to be looked at in the light of the then cost of living, and the circumstances of the time generally, and it will be open to the men to ask for a revision of the new standard rates (i.e., a further transfer from War Wage to permanent rate) if they think a case can be made for it. But the anomalies of varying pay for similar work, under similar conditions, will have been removed, and future negotiations will be rendered much easier through there being only one set of figures to work upon. ”

“ A statement, signed by the Conciliation Committee of the Trade Union Conference, had been issued on Saturday, October 4th. which said:
"A situation of the utmost gravity has arisen in connection with the present railway crisis. Though we are still doing our utmost to keep open the door for negotiation, we feel that as responsible leaders we should be lacking in our duty if we omitted to state our view of the causes leading to the failure, for the present, of our efforts at conciliation. ”

“ Messages from various provincial centres showed that more than 335,000 workers other than railwaymen had been thrown out of employment by the strike.
Mr. Lloyd George, who had begun by calling the men conspirators and anarchists, ended by calling them into his drawing-room. The strike turned all England into a nine days' wonder. While the unions remained solid to a man, and the railway stations were closed and guarded, the roads witnessed a return to something like stage coach conditions, but with motors instead of horses. ”

“ But we find, after analysing the whole of the figures, that the request which was made for other grades of railwaymen was not only a reasonable request, but in our opinion was a moderate request, and the reply given by the Government was not sufficient, not fair recognition of the services given to this great nation by railwaymen, or anything like sufficient to meet the increased cost of living which railwaymen had to bear. Our members are solid. ”

“ Let us see if the answer of the Government is reasonable, and shows a desire to meet these claims or otherwise. On Thursday morning we had the whole position before us, and I will promise you. Mr. Chairman, our support to the N.U.R. of our fellow trade unionists, and, after all, blood is thicker than water. ”

“ Your members had no monetary advantage to gain—indeed, that was the position of every locomotiveman—but having satisfied yourselves that our claim was reasonable, and realising that a Trade Union principle was at stake, you came into the fight wholeheartedly, and helped us to win a great battle for the whole working-class of this country. ”

“ Thousands of gallons of milk went sour, and the food service came dangerously near a collapse.
The Government only just capitulated in time to save worse events. For weeks before it began the Government had been preparing elaborate alternative services by motor, instead of preparing a path of peace.
Day by day paralysis was creeping over the country, and the Government refusal to meet the men until they had returned to work was soon abandoned. A week-end fog exterminated the skeleton service, and the conferences of Sunday. October 5th, brought a happy settlement. ”

“ Full consideration was given to the serious position arising between the N.U.R. and the Government. It was frankly impossible to allow the Government to rely upon our men to run the services against the struggle of the N.U.R. for fair conditions. The honourable course seemed to be that of full support, and if the N.U.R. had to withdraw, then we felt we must withdraw too. Accordingly a fraternal message was sent to Unity House, saying that:
"If you want help, we are standing by."
When the call was made on the Friday afternoon, September 26th. ”

“ On the other hand the Societies of railway workers, like our own, the R.C.A., and the N.U.R., were adamant against the railways going back to private control, and firmly insisted that the half million men who invest their whole life in the railway interest should have a fuller share in the control of the undertaking and their destiny than was proposed. ”

“ The whole world of organised labour was paying tributes of admiration to the Society, which had begun the year by securing the standard eight hours day, and ended it by a thrilling exhibition of unselfish solidarity. ”

“ The Ministry held that very large savings could be effected by standardisation of methods and machinery, and by introducing co-operative working methods. The railways were regarded as neither adequate nor entirely suitable to meet the growing needs of the community, neither for agriculture, industry, nor housing. It was further proposed to modernise canals and waterways, to bring them into line with modern needs. Railway property was stated to amount to £1,200,000,000, and the outgoings and incomings of the railway companies to exceed £500,000,000 a year. ”

“ Included in this was the cost of an organisation which had been built up in reserve for many months, of petrol and other supplies for lorry services, of accumulating food stores, of troops' movements, of pay and rations of volunteer workers, and the extra money that would have to be provided for the guarantee of receipts to the railways under the war agreement.
Business men were inclined to place the total loss to the nation at about £50,000,000. The National Union of Railwaymen lost £300,000 of its funds issued as strike pay, as well as a large amount for propaganda and expenses. ”

“ Any person employed under the Minister who is about to contest a Parliamentary election, or has been elected a member of the Commons House of Parliament, shall, on making application to the Minister, be granted leave of absence from duty during such contest, and one month thereafter, or so long as he continues to be a member of the Commons House of Parliament, and three months thereafter. ”

“ As regards standardisation of rates of pay and removal of present anomalies, this can only be dealt with in connection with a general revision of permanent wages, and, therefore, it is proposed that the present negotiations shall be continued for fixing new standard rates, so as to ensure that all men throughout the country shall receive the same payment for the same work under the same conditions. ”

“ Any time after August 1st, 1920, they may be reviewed in the light of circumstances then existing. 4.—No adult railwayman in Great Britain shall receive less than 51s. so long as the cost of living is not less than 110 per cent. above pre-war level. 5.—The N.U.R. and the A.S.L.E. & F. agree that the men shall work harmoniously with the railway servants who have remained at or returned to work, and the Government and the N.U.R. and A.S.L.E. & F. agree that no man shall be prejudiced in any way as the result of the strike. ”

“ This will involve reduction of the War Wage, but the Government are prepared to agree that up to December 3lst no man shall receive less in weekly rate of wages plus War Wage, than he is receiving at present, while anyone to whom the new War Wage and new rate yield more than they are receiving at present, shall receive the advantage as soon as an arrangement is arrived at. ”

“ This means that the basis of standardisation makes no allowance for the position of those who have higher pay than the others, and if the existing agreement for the war wage to terminate in December came into operation, this would mean an actual reduction of varying amounts up to as much as 14s. per week in some grades. ”

“ Standardisation—A National Strike—Nine Days Wonder—Solidarity and Victory—Many Congratulations—Rapid Growth—Railway Control—The Ministry if Transport—Zonal System—Joint Control—The Society Promotes a Bill. ”

“ Each group should have a Board of Management, consisting of representatives of the shareholders, who should form a majority of the Board, and of employees, of whom one-third might be leading officials of the group, to be co-opted by the rest of the Board, and two-thirds members elected from and by the workers on the railways. ”

“ It will be remembered that following the settlement of February, when the existing War Wage was being considered, an agreement was arrived at which stabilised the existing wage until December, with a proviso that would enable both sides to negotiate a basis of standardisation for all grades. ”