DISPUTES IN THE ENGLISH BOOT AND SHOE TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9013, 19 October 1892, Page 6

DISPUTES IN THE ENGLISH BOOT AND SHOE TRADE.

The award of Sir Henry James, M.P., as umpire for the settlement of the disputes in the boot and shoe trade, has been received in Leicester. The disputes affected over 200,000 operatives all over the country. The award is as follows :— . " 1. That in respect of the work carried on by clickers, pressmen, lasters, and finishers, the employers of labour in shoe factories and workshops shall in each department respectively be restricted in the employment of boys (under 18) to one boy to every three men employed; and that where the number of men employed shall not be divisible by three, one boy may also be employed in respect of the fraction existing, either less than three or above each unit of three, jfote.—The meaning of this clause is that if one or two men are employed, one boy is allowed. It four men are employed two boys are allowed. If seven or eight men, three boys, and so on. 2. That in order to enforce the above restriction no employer shall be required to dismiss any boy in his employ at the date of the publication of this award, and that where the number of boys employed is in excess of the number hereby allowed, the necessary diminution of the number of boy? employed shall arise from boys leaving their employment from causes other than the enforcement of this award, or from their ceasing to be- boys through effluxion of time. 3. That, whilst the above restriction is general in its prima facie application, I further adjudge that it may be inexpedient that certain factories and workshops in which the manufacture of goods called nursery goods and other goods of a common quality and of a low price is carried on, should be subjected to the above clauses. 4. And. in respect of such factories and workshops, that the owners of them, after giving notice to the local representatives of the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives, may call upon the local Board of Conciliation and arbitration (mentioned in the memorandum dated August 16, 1892), existing in the different localities where such factories and workshops are situated, to determine the number of boys to be employed in such factories and workshops, and the different departments thereof, according to the circumstances existing in each case, and that upon the hearing of such application the parties to this arbitration may appeal and be heard. 5. That if, at any time during the six months next after the publication of this award, the employers in any district submit to me a statement which shall cause me to think that there are special reasons affecting such district why I should consider whether the above restrictions should or should not apply to it, I will proceed to hear and determine whether any exemption of such, district from the above limitation or any modification of its application to such district shall be made, and upon such hearing the parties to this arbitration may appear and be heard. 6. That this award shall be in force until the Ist day of September, 1896, and if within three months of that date either party to this arbitration shall give notice to the other that it is desired to have the terms of this award reconsidered and revised, the two parties hereto shall proceed to nominate an umpire for such purpose, and in the event of no such umpire being agreed upon, th«» President of the Board of Trade for the time being shall nominate one. In the event of such notice not being given this award shall remain in full force and effect. And I further adjudge that if any differences shall arise as to the construction to be pat upon this award, or as to the manner in which its provisions shall be carried into effect such differences shall be submitted to me for my determination. — Henry JAMK!).'' 5