THE FRENCH NAVVIES' STRIKE.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7169, 3 October 1888, Page 5

THE FRENCH NAVVIES' STRIKE.

A correspondent of the Fail Mail Gazette, who has been to Paris investigating the navvies' strike, writes:—

The original cause of the present strikes must be traced to our old friend the middleman. The contractors sublet the work to overseers at a price settled according to the regulation rate of wages fixed by the trade corporations. The overseers pay from one-third to one-sixth less than the fixed rate of wages, and pocket the difference. This is done not only in private works, but in all the State undertakings as well, most of which arc farmed out to contractors. There are further grievances as to the length of the hours of labor and as to the general irregularity in the conditions. Thus many ° terrassiers" are expected to work sixteen hours a day at 40c an hour; others are required to do carpenter's work in building up shafts, which requires some skill, at the same rate of pay as ordinary digging. The " terrassiers " demands are simple and moderate—a working day of ten hours at 60c the hour, equal to 6fr per day. The tlrst two hours beyond the ten are to be paid half as much again, and any noun* beyond twelve are to be paid at a double rate. It is owing to the bad state of trade in recent years that the overseers have been able to grind down the wages of the laborers with such ruthless severity; and every mouth the state of affairs grows worse.

The first body to take action in the matter were the " tailleurs do pierre" employed in building a new lobby to the Palais Bourbon for the use of deputies, a month or two back. As skilled laDorera they should have been paid 12fr a day; the overseers only puid them Bfr. Citoyen Boule, in his combined capacity of stonemason and member of the Conseil dcs Prudhomines—that excellent institution founded by Napoleon I. for the settlement of trade disputes, and composed uf an equal number of delegates elected by employers and laborers — brought the matter before the Conseil Prudliomme dcs Industries Diverse*. Many deputies took part iv the dispute, and, although it was beyond the functions of the Conseil to render much assistance, it brought the whole question vividly before the public, and set all the Chambres Syndicates to discussing the injustice under which their members sutlered. The " terrassiers," waking up to the possibilities of united resistance, called a great meeting one Saturday, and by the following Wednesday, July 26th, 3000 went out on strike. The number rapidly rose to 6000, and for the present remains at that tigure; the movement has spread all round Paris to St. Denis, Creteil, Aubervilliers, &c. Even should the present strike fail in its immediate objects, it will have done incalculable good in binding the workmen together, and teaching the necessity for common action.