LONDON BUILDERS’ STRIKE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14307, 1 June 1914, Page 5

LONDON BUILDERS’ STRIKE.

PROPOSED NATIONAL LOCK-OUT. TREMENDOUS CONSEQUENCES INVOLVED.

Press Association.—Telegraph Copyright . LONDON, May 30. Provincial masters are not keen on a lockout. The Federation Council will meet .within ten days' to take the ballot necessary before a national lockout. A stumb-ling-block, in the way of settlement, is the employment of non-unionists, and, in a lesser degree; s non-recognition ol the men’s l<%dertitiibn;' The masters are convinced that-a continuance of lightning strikes paralyse# trade. The method was for the workmen to appoint a certain day for the production of a - fellow workers’ ticket. It it was not produced, a strike was called without notice. After twenty lightning strikes, the masters- determined to secure a prohibitive guarantee, which was refuted. ■ / STRIKE PAY RUNNING OUT.

LONDON, May 30. The strikers number 25,000 out of 150,000 workers involved in the building trades. Of the f<*rmer, fourteen thoussand are skilled men. The dispute at present only affects the London Master Builders’ Association, with a membership of 300, and docs not represent the whole building trade. The men’s executive states that the men received fifteen shillings weekly in strike pay, which is increased to twenty shillings in some instances by local contributors according to the wealth of the local allied trades’ unions. Of eleven thousand labourers, the bulk received seven shillings, and some up to 12s 6d, chiefly newly joined members dependent on tireot collections, and yet as low ns 2s. Many strikers have obtained employment with builders outside the Masters’ Association, ‘and contribute to the general fund. The strike exchequer is being rapidly depleted. The Employers' Federation represents 6000 members, employing 600,000 men, with a wages bill of over .£750,000 weekly. It is estimated that a national lockout will cause the standstill of j6 150,000,000 capital and fiifty millions worth of work in progress.