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ITrade Union Notes. I

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

I Trade Union Notes. I I By Trade Unionist. The South Wales Miners' Conference has de- eded in a most emphatic manner against co- oPerating with the authorities in the comb- Out ) scheme drawn up and approved by the ..F.G.B. Further, they have decided to ballot the coalfield as to whether a "down tools" Micy shall be resorted to in the event of the authorities proceeding with the scheme. From Press and platform have the miners had hurled them the most opprobious epithets, because of lr decision. "Shirkers," "Traitors," "Re- avers of German gold, "Cowards"; these *^d much more ar& the terms tossed about by the self-styled patriots when discussing them. They know thJi own business, ern ?j}} go about doing it in their own way, ?ute regardless of the frothy vituperation of their critics.. -1- 3: And what is all the row abou"? Have not the of South Wales on every occasion that PortulÍty offered, declared in favour of en- ^vouring to secure the objects for which we filtered the war by negotiation rather than by the prolonged slaughter of our manhood? Have they not consistently opposed conscription? Of bourse they have and how can anyone in his Senses expect them now to stultify themselves by o-operat.ing with the Government, who want to Q on killing, and in forcing men into the, Army? It would mean giving up those principles which }¡ey have upheld up to now. T- 3; # It would be well for these people to remember It a.t no body of workmen in the whole of the ^tT 11 ited Kingdom (and that is saying a good deal) re on the whole so intelligent as the South Wales miners. Very large numbers of them are teny well educated men, conversant with the Fences, and with the literature of their country. ?hey are keen students of politics and the social fences, and it is not ea?y to bluff them. and it i?., not, ea?:-v to f,) I ii ff t b (ini. Mr. Hartshorn has preached a long sermon to we miners through the columns of tlu. South Wales Daily News for last Saturday. He tries o prove that: (1) a down tools policy is un- justifiable (2) that a down-tools policy is not Pi acticable. Most of the miners, I venture to 'Jy> will violently disagree with many of his t&tements. For instance, he says: "The paci- Usts who would try to force peace on us now are Paying the game of Germany's most astute dip- OnlatIst..s. Mr. Hartshorn seems to want his taders to believe that the pacifists want a peace t any price,which, of course, is quite wrong. It j for ever being said, apparently without effect, that til., objects for which so much blood is being OSt should be attained by negotiation if possible. r. Hartshorn also says in effect, that by asking J0* peace by negotiation we are betraying the rave men who are fighting. Nothing of the find. It is quite sale to say that the vast ma- Jority of the soldiers would be onlv too triad to Je that method adopted. If a vote of the sol- ders could be taken it would be seen whom they J°ok upon as tlioir true friends. -:c iiie-etin,(), hold The Ferndale miner.? at a mass meeting held ?ntly. voted a sum' of ?10 to dependents of 's T hereupon the local Liberal and Tory 'Ci U?b began to kick up a row. Being uch good .del'atlOnistg they objected to their money  ?S sp?? upon obiects other than the further- Of Ti'ade Unionism. That is all right, of co)? ? ? ? ?'? ? rejnind these and other erit' that scores of Federation Lodges have v0+ T ^ions sums of money to provide comforts ?oldierx, Y.M.C.A. huts, etc. There were Mo _?? ?plaint? then, but it if evident that the one ?st as illegal m; the other.. The Shop Assistants' Union ig making an ffort to bring sho^assistants under the Trade oard Act, and are circularising all tbe Trade nions appealing for their help. No body of oi'kers in this country are on the whole so badly faJl and overworked as the shop assistants, and ?nccrely hope that all the unions will respond ta the appeal and render all the assistance they  can to bring about the desired objec. f sufficIent support is forthcoming, there is ?e'-y chance of a minimum wage "being fixed ?■ r the Trade Boards Act, and as this would «arry with it the recognition of a normal work- ?6 week (which the Union is asking should be :a ?ximum of 48 hours) it will be seen that the t,w most important questions affecting the lives f shop assistants will be dealt with. 1 The Shop Assistants' Union is to be congratu- "1ttod upon the success of its efforts to organise lbore? thoroughly the workpeople which it caters ()t. During the firt eix months of this year the ?tnbership had increased by 4,000. This is re- jj.able when w& remember that thousnd8 of peJr ?en have been taken for the Army in that pf3rl*(),Cl In particular are they to be oongratu- 3atp } ?or so strenuously agitating for an im- ?. ???ent in the wages and conditions of Labour a,ning in the large dre&smaking ootabhsh- He 0 ^-ie country. These people have a l ways 11 eut.. of the country. These people have alway. lqeglec'ted to look after their interests by becom- ta ? embers of the organisation, and the Union, Dlother hand, has neglected in the past to p'a" u ed f h" Pa y as much attention to the need s of this ? "Serous class as they deserved. lq"OTV however, according to the Shop Asist- ™'n there is every prospect of an ?-?i kenmg. In several towns settlements have W,, aT'rived at fixing rates of wages and hours laboi.11- which mark a big advance on any- '?i? P?'????sly obtaining. At Edinburgh, for ?-Hp&t?? ce, the following rates have been agreed Upo\ ?"'st six months 6s., second six months ?, 15s., ^s*> 19s. 20s., and 21s., and eSicient j_0» d 2 1 s., an d efficient ■Wfv- 6rs up to 30s. Hours 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., or q?"111- 6.30 p.m. Saturdays to 1 p.m. Qvew^me to (3.30 p.Tii. S,,?Ltur days -to I- lioli- O?ve9? rate ??"? and a ??' One week's holi? -t-o b:n.l1ually, with pay; all statutory holidays 'i'u bl??  ?or..Further, the j ournal informs us tl,at th, Union will soon submit a carefully Cill"lgbt ??t programme providing for present alld Pro??p?e,ti ve assistants.' Let me add here th  ? ?? duty of ?? Trade Unionists whose ?Sbt ?? are ?"?' entering the shops as assist- ants ?+° see o it that tbov become members of 'the ci ? ? to it that they become mem b ers of tb9-hop Assistant' Union.

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

I CORRESPONDENCE. I I -I

I Mid-Rhoiidda Notes. I

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