BRITISH RAILWAYMEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9210, 22 January 1920, Page 5

BRITISH RAILWAYMEN.

(Per Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 20.

The Minister --of Transport, in a speech at Cambridge upon the railway settlement, declared that if the men had not accepted the recent tentative agreement they would have struck the severest blow possible at the principle of collective bargaining with trades unions. The settlement represented permanent increases in the railwaymen's wage bill from the pre-war rates jot £47,000,000 to £110,000,000 annually, an increase of 134 per cent, notwithstanding the fall in the cost of living. He believed that the railways could, despite 'the new Parliament Wages Uil!, return to a, level which would enable them to thrive and compete in the world's markets without undue handicap. He had been assured by the men's leaders that the management could henceforth expect closer cooperation uom the workers. This should .release'the management from the consideration" of unending wages disputes, enabling proper attention to' be paid -to,. the economical, efficient-management of the Hues, ■•which would- have a direct money'result. : ' : : J