COTTON STRIKE IN LANCASHIRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19329, 2 November 1932, Page 7

COTTON STRIKE IN LANCASHIRE

OPPOSITION TO WAGE REDUCTION GRAVE OUTLOOK IN VITAL INDUSTRY British Official Wireless (Received Nov. 1, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, October 31. The operatives in the spinners’ amalgamation refused by 84 votes to 38 to endorse the wages settlement reached one week ago by the executive, after negotiations with the employers, which lasted 87 hours. The amalgamation decided that members should strike this morning at all mills where wage reductions of 7.67 per cent., which had been agreed to in the settlement, had been put into effect. There is, in consequence, a prospect of a general stoppage of the spinning mills in Lancashire, as from to-day. COMPLETE STOPPAGE FEARED. Awaiting verdict of OPERATIVES. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 2, 12.10 a.m.) LONDON. November 1. Apart from a few mills where the employers are continuing on the old wages, the stoppage in the Lancashire spinning industry is virtually complete. The conciliation officer of the Ministry of Labour (Mr Leggett) hurried to Manchester, but is powerless until the Spinning Amalgamation has considered a ballot of operatives to decide whether to continue or cease the strike, and the results are made known during the week-end. Failing an early settlement, a further 200,000 operatives will be rendered idle owing to the enforced stoppage of the weaving section of the industry. THOUSANDS IDLE. MEN DIVIDED IN ATTITUDE. United Press Association— By Electrlo Telegraph—Coovrtght LONDON, October 31. Forty thousand spinners are idle at Oldham, but six mills, offering the old rates, are fully staffed. [A London cable message dated October 23 reported that a stoppage of work In the spinning section of the cotton industry was averted after 811 hours’ negotiation. The agreement provided for a wage reduction of Is 61d in the £, to come into operation on October 31. The employers proposed a reduction of Is 8!d, which was the basis of settlement in their recent dispute with the weaving section. A meeting of delegates representing the Operative Spinners’ Amalgamation overwhelmingly refused to ratify the agreement, and decided not to resume work. The decision affects 200,000 workers.]

PROTRACTED NEGOTIATIONS. INDUSTRY GRAVELY MENACED. It was on May 3 last that the Cotton Spinners’ and Manufacturers’ Association decided to give notice to terinate all wage and hour agreements in the industry. The Master Cotton Spinners’ Federation had terminated their agreements the previous December. The result was to leave the entire industry (employing nominally half a million operatives) without any machinery at all for collective bargaining. Faced with this situation, the operatives’ Central Board proceeded solemnly to take a ballot as to whether they should strike or not. They took two ballots. On the first, 88,603 of their members voted for a strike and 63,279 for negotiations; on the second, 48 per cent, declared for a strike, 38 per cent, for negotiations and 13 per cent, recorded no vote. Facing- Strike Demand. The Central Board said solemnly that in view of these figures they did not feel justified in calling a strike. No one had ever supposed that they would. With thousands of operatives out of work already for months, to strike would have been madress. The ballots, that is to say, were a pure waste of time. The question was answered before it was asked. An extraordinary situation now resulted. The Weavers’ Amalgamation 'threatened to call their men out wherever the hours or wages were varied. At Preston, 900 operatives did come out, resisting a cut of 12i per cent. At other mills cuts of from 61 to 121 per cent, were accepted by the employees; still others went on working at the old rates as if nothing at all had happened. Danger of Disorganisation. The notion that the Lancashire industry, in the present desperate conditions, can hold its own in world competition in this utterly disorganised condition is absurd on the face of it. Both sides probably in their hearts know this. Agreement has been delayed by the employers' insistence that any negotiations must start with the acceptance of the principle that wages must be reduced; and that the union negotiators must have full powers. The operatives rejected the first condition; and on the second they would say nothing at all. Obstinacy on Both Sides. A spokesman of the employers has declared that there is nothing to be discussed but wage reduction. If that is the employers’ last word, it is an unwise one. For It Is very doubtful whether wage reduction alone will effect anything worth talking about. The operatives have opposed with a strange dogged obstinacy the scheme for increasing the number of looms worked by the individual operative. They are probably wrong; but the employers must have something

better to offer than mere lower wages. The whole situation should be reviewed in a new spirit. Lancashire has been saved from the full results of this excursion into anarchy, not because it is not a hopelessly obsolete and fatal policy, but because her rivals (in America especially) are themselves too depressed at the moment to profit by her folly. But it will not always be so. Now she has one more chance to put her house really in order. It may be the last.