REVOLTS AGAINST CLOCKS

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5157, 14 November 1912, Page 3

REVOLTS AGAINST CLOCKS

Two revolts against time recording clocks occurred in London simultaneously. One was at the Bank of England, wheie a strike broke out in the crisp Bank-note and Postal-order Department. One hundred and ten printers’ boys in this department took exception to the wonderful machine that records the time of their coming and the time of their departure, g Their grievance was not with the officials—the officials are human. The fact that they worked in a building where the golden hoards of capitalists are confined worried them not a little. But the clock—the cold, inhuman, deadly, accurate mechanism —was the limit. Each boy punched it as he came in, and there on a card was engraved the time of his arrival. You could slip in late without the heads seeing you- —at least you had a sporting chance —but the brutal clock never’ errs. Boys that are late are fined fourpence though their department is hourly turning out bits of paper that are worth hundreds of thousands. The boys decided that the clock must go, or the fines, or themselves. It was themselves. An ultimatum from the boys to the authorities was sent in by one of those magnificent men with a three-cornered hat and beautiful breeches. ...The reply came through a leas gaily adorned porter. It was harsh and unexpected. In fact, it suggested that the great Bank of England could carry on its business without one hundred and ten little boys. To emphasise it, and to asauie the City lest panic might ensue, a statement was sent out that the Bamc rate was unaltered. Consols also remained steady. ’The statement of the Bank of England was as follows; Those who do not return immediately will be summarily dismissed, with half a week’s wages. The “strikers” refused to return, and took a half week’s wages, and held a protest meeting in the vicinity. It is rumoured that all decided to weaken the Bank’s credit by drawing out their money. The other revolt against the timeclock was at Camberwell Workhouse, where the two head nurses considered it derogatory to the dignity of the nursing profession that they should be ordered to carry a tell-tale watchman’s clock on their night rounds. The problem has agitated the minds of the Camberwell Guardians fur more than six ihouths, and, after many discussions the hoard has decided that the two head nurses at the workhouse be called on to resign if they continue to disobey the order of the hoard to carry the clock. Before this decision was reached there was a lively debate, and one of the memlnrs declared that the hoard made themselves look ridiculous by introducing the clock, and would be still sillier to demand the nurses’ resignation. “We ought to climb down,” he said, hut this suggestion was little to the taste of other members. “Officials should he made to understand,” said Mr Edmonds, “that when the board says a thing it means it, and is not to bo jostled out of it by insubordination.” “Are wc to he set at definance” demanded Mrs Mawhey. “This spirit of anarchy is affecting all classes of the community,” asserted Mr Koe. “The doctoia support the nurses’ protest,” said Mr Hearn, “that to carry the clock is derogatory to the profession.” But the hoard determined to enforce the order by sixteen votes to twelve.