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BRIDGEND.

OGMORE VALLEY.

ST. BRIDE'S MAJOR.

PORTHCAWL.

BRIDGEND COUNTY-COURT.

OGMORE AND GARW LOCAL BOARD.

i I THE PAINTERS' STRIKE AT…

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I THE PAINTERS' STRIKE AT BARRY AND CADÜXTON. Up to the time of going to press there was no appearance of a cessation of the strike, both sides, apparently, being determined to hold firmly out. During the strike the men have been daily in- strumental in sending back men brought from other districts by the employers to work. A lead- ing Cadoxton building firm has refused to allow one of the masters to employ "blacklegs" on work he is doing for them, and it is probable that the firm will undertake the work themselves and employ some of the strikers direct. These minor victories are encouraging the men, who are confident that the employers will be bound to give in some time or another. Meanwhile the men are winning the support of the workmen employed in kindred trpdes, which is a great factor in such disputes as these. Mr. E. C. Gibbs, the general secretary of the Painters and Decorators' Society, returned to London on Wednesday. On Saturday evening Mr. E. C. Gibbs, of London, the general secretary of the Painters and Decorators' Society, visited Cadoxton-Barry. and was met at the station, and accorded a very enthusiastic reception by the painters at present on strike in the Barry district. The men formed themselves into a procession, and escorted Mr. Gibbs to the strike head-quarters, at the Witchill Hotel. At eight o'clock in the evening a mass meeting was held in the club-room, which was attended by representatives of the Bairy and District Trades' Council, including Messrs. W. Copp (president), J. Rees (secretary), T. Thomas (Typographic), G. Birch (Carpenters and Joiners), .0., SEE. Mr. J. W. Howells, chair- man of the local branch of the Painters and Decorators' Society, presided, and was supported by Mr. Gibbs. Representatives from the Cardiff branch were also present. During the meeting Mr. G. Lewis (Messrs. E. Lewis and Co.), one of the 'employers, entered the meeting, and was received with loud cheers, renewed with still greater enthusiasm later in the meeting when it was announced that he had decided to adhere to the joint agreement, as desired by the men. and that, consequently, his employees would be enabled to return to work the following Monday. —After the chairman had given the history of the strike movement, pointing out that the men had no other alternative but to cease work owing to the gross breach of faith on the part of the em- ployers in not adhering to the working agreement, he pointed out that efforts were made on the part of the men the previous week to bring about an amicable settlement of the dispute, but Messrs. Morgan Brothers and Messrs. Dando and Sons, as employers, had positively refused to see a deputa- tion from the branch, so that they were obliged to call all the men out during the week, and he was very glad to state that in most instances both Union and non-Union men readily responded. (Ap- plause.) Strange to say, however, the late secre- tary of the Cadoxton branch (MR. W. Hughes) did not comply, and, instead, sent in his resignation as secretary. (_Cries of Shame.)—Mr. E. C. Gibbs (the general secretary) then delivered a lengthy and forcible address, during which he was warmly applauded. He said the executive council of the society fully approved of what the Cadoxton branch had done in connection with the present dispute. The action of the employers, he said, was most unwarranted, and while the society were prepared to support both Union and non-Union men who held out in the existing strike, the em- ployers should bear in mind that they were not only fighting the painters of the Barry and Cadox- ton district, but the associated painters, and even the kindred trades of the entire country. (Loud cheers.) There was no excuse whatever for what the employers had done, for, throwing arbitration and conciliation on one ssde, they ignored the rules which they themselves signed, and attempted to dictate to the men as they thought proper. (Laughter.) He strongly urged the men to stand together shoulder to shoulder, and neither Unionists nor non- Unionists would ever regret the step they were now taking.—Mr. W. Copp, President of the Barry and District Trades Council, moved the following resolution :— That we in public meeting assembled pledge our- selves heartily to support the painters now on strike in the Barry district, considering their cause to be a just one. —(Cheers.)—He said he had been deputed to inform them that they had the heartiest support of the Barry Trades Council. (Applause.) In the event of a settlement not being affected by Mr. Gibbs before Tuesday, the Trades Council has decided to send a deputation to the employers, and in the event of their efforts at reconciliation proving futile, there were other branches of trade in the district who would fight as well. (Loud cheers.)—Mr. Thomas Thomas (Smith Walex Star) seconded the resolution, condemning the action the imasters had taken, and advising the men to stick pluckily together, and victory would be theirs, as public opinion was undoubtedly on their side. (Hear, hear.)—The resolution was unani- mously carried amid loud cheers. — During the eveninsr the men (including the non-Unionists) who have come out were given their first week's strike pay by the general secretary. All the non- Unionists paid their entrance fees to become members of the society. ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF THE PLAS TERERS. At a largely-attended meeting of the Cadoxton branch of the National Association of Plasterers, held at the Witchill Hotel, Cadoxton, on Monday night, Mr. G. Allen presiding, a deputation from the painters now on strike, and consisting of Messrs. Peters, Munn, and Miles, attended.—Mr. W. Copp introduced the deputation, and said that the battle of the painters should be the battle of the plasterers as well, and he thought they should lend a helping hand. (Applause.) The plasterers' plan of campaign could be put into force once more—(cheers)—and inasmuch as it had been suc- cessful in the past they might rely upon it proving so in the present dispute. If the masters did not come to terms on Tuesday night then the Trades' Council would meet upon the following evening and decide upon the best action to take for the working of the building trade. (Hear, hear.) He should like for the plasterers to act unanimously that evening, for he believed the carpenters and plumbers would do so. They must not let the painters be beaten. This was the first struggle, and if the painters were beaten then the employers would have a go at the plasterers. On a job he had been working that day, the plasterers had been instrumental in sending one blackleg back ( cheers) and he advised them if anyone put in an appearance on their job, to get a crowd of unionists around them, point out the justice of the strikers' action, and, by moral suasion, get them to clear away. (Hear, hear.)—Mr. Peters, addressing the meeting, said the battle was not sought by the painters, but it had been forced upon them by the masters. The masters were sticking to rules, mutually agreed gpon. They were determined to stick manfully together, and they asked the plasterers for their, moral support. (Cheers.)—Mr. Miles said they did not ask for financial support altogether, but they at least asked for their moral assistance. The fight was one representing rules and prin- ciples. The masters had signed a rule which they now sought to ignore without giving proper notice. The men were sorry the strike had taken J place, but right was on their side. (Applause.)— Mr. W. Copp moved—" That this meeting of the Cadoxton branch of the National Association of Operative Plasterers resolves to fall in and sup- port any movement the Trades Council may initiate with the view of supporting and helping the painters on to victory." (Cheers.)—Mr.. Bennett seeonded the resolution, which was un- animously agreed to. It was decided to vote a sum out of the funds towards the support of the men on strike, and to request the London execu- tive to do the same. CONFERENCE BETWEEN MASTERS AND MEN'S REPRESENTATIVES AT BARRY DOCK. NO SETTLEMENT EFFECTED. At the Barry Dock Hotel on Tuesday, a meeting of the master painters affected by the existing dispute was held. There were present—Messrs. A. W. Morgan (chairman), Dando Brothers, T. H. Morgan, F. W. Taylor, — Taylor, jun., Ravenhill, E. J. Roberts, Paull, Hepp, Edmonds, &c. A deputation from the Barry Trades Council, consist- ing of Messrs. W. Copp (chairman), T. Thomas, Smith II ales Star (assistant secretary), G. Brock, Prince, and — Smith attended the meeting, The question in dispute was gone into most exhaustively, and the employers maintained they were only asking the men to do what was perfectly just and reasonable—to leave work at 4.30 instead of five during the six weeks before and after Christmas, on the ground that it was too dark to work properly. They also contended that the men were the first to violate the code of working rules by consenting some weeks ago to commence work in the morning at 7.30 instead of seven. The masters further desired to explain that nearly all the men agreed to the 4.30 proposal when asked on the matter, but that they had since been persuaded to the contrary by two or three agitators. On the other hand, the repre- sentatives urged that the masters had no right to violate the rules (as they evidently had done) without giving the required three months' notice.—Mr. F. W. Taylor said there was only a small point of difference after all between the masters and men in connection with the present dispute, involving really only sixteen hours in the whole year, the masters offering 2,736 working hours per annum, whilst the men sought 2,752. —The Chairman also remarked that they offered the men half an hour per day more than was the case at Cardiff.—Mr. T. Thomas asked the masters whether they were aware when they signed the rules that it was impossible to work between 4.30 p.m. and 5 p.m.—The Chairman It was over- looked. — Mr. Thomas Do you consider that your action in breaking the agreement is strictly just — Several masters Yes.— Mr. T. Thomas You were either wrong in signing the rules at the commencement of the year, or you are wrong to-night.—An Employer We were undoubtedly wrong.—Mr. T. Thomas said he de- sired to ask Mr. Taylor to what extent did he con- sider at the time he signed the rules he could deviate from the strict wording of the rules, in- asmuch as that gentleman had said that that was understood when the rules were signed.—Mr. F. W. Taylor To the extent of the exigencies of my business.—After the deputation had retired, Mr. E. C. Gibbs, the general secretary of the men's society, attended, and at once proceeded to deal with TH^ points at issue. He said he thought that the masters should have foreseen when they signed the rules that it would be impossible to work after 4.30 if such was the case. The rules were signed in February, and did not come into effect until May, consequently they could not complain that the rule had been brought into operation hastily. So far as he was concerned he had always believed in conciliation and arbitra- tion, which to his mind was the best way to settle such disputes. That being so, the men considered that the agreement was entered into by concili- ation, and they did think that the employers would, as gentlemen, adhere to the code of rules, and give the requisite notice if any alteration was to be made. With regard to artificial light after 4.30 p.m., he understood that during the last few weeks Messrs. Morgans' men had been employed by candl 3 light until eight o'clock at night.—The Chairman But until eight o'clock at night.—The Chairman But it was at the men's risk.—Mr. Gibbs But you would not have let them work unless it was at your convenience.—The Chairman But it was a chapel, well lighted.—Mr. Gibbs That just sup- ports my argument, for if it is possible in one case it is possible in another. Continuing, he said he was very sorry the dispute had occurred, and he saw no other way out of it than to ask the em- ployers to adhere to the rules, and, at the proper time, give notice, if they desired to alter them. Itseemed strange that all the dispute should have sprung upon the question of working after 4.30 p.m., when last winter the men worked by candlelight. Was that not a fact ?—The Chair- man I cannot answer for last winter.—Mr. Gibbs said he must, therefore, rely on the information he had received.—The Chairman: But we've suffered loss last winter through it.—Mr. Gibbs Then you ought to have had that in your mind when you signed the agreement. He thought it was against the interest of a respectable employer to fight about half an hour a day. He asked them to act as gen- tlemen, and adhere to the agreement. He did hope that a mutual settlement might be arrived at on the old lines. He should be sorry to go away without a settlement being effected.—After Mr. Gibbs had retired (being thanked for the fair and gentlemanly way in which he had laid before the employers the men's claims), Mr. F. W. Taylor moved, That, inasmuch as the masters, by their resolution of December 8th, consider they have made all the concessions possible, this meeting is of opinion that the men should accept the terms offered." — Mr. 1. T. Dando seconded the motion, which was supported by Mr. Paull, and unanimously carried. The following resolution was also passed on the motion of Mr. T. W. Taylor, seconded by Mr. T. H. Morgan :— "That this meeting having heard that Mr. George Lewis, tiler and plasterer, the principal of the firm of E. Lewis and See., plumbers and decorators, Cadoxton, attended the meeting of the painters, now on strike, at the Witchill-hotel, Cadoxton, on Saturday. December 12th, and give his adhesion to the demands of the strikers, hereby declares its opinion, that as Mr. Lewis did on Thursday. Decem- ber 10th vote in favour of a resolution, pledging the masters to resist the said demands, and to the formation of a Master Painters' Association, that such conduct is contrary to the spirit and inten- tions of this association, and in declining to re- cognise him as a member of this society utterly repudiates his actions in the present dispute."— Mr. Gibbs ^having been apprised of the decision of the masters, the proceedings concluded. DETERMINED ATTITUDE OF THE MEN. On Wednesday morning, at nine o'clock, the strikers met at the Witchill Hotel, Cadoxton.— Mr. Gibbs spoke at length, giving the men details of the conference between himself and the em- ployers, and communicating to them the resolution passed.—After a long discussion, in the course of which Messrs. J. W. Howells (chairman), Jeffries, Harris, Peters, Munn. and Miles joined, the fol- lowing letter was ordered to be sent to Mr. W. Dando, secretary of the Master Painters' Associa- tion :— Cadoxton, December 10, 1891. Deai Sir,—At a meeting of the Cadoxton branch of the Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters, held this morning at the Witchill Hotel, Cadoxton, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to :—" That no terms of settlement can be re- garded as a satisfactory solution of the present dispute other than that of adhering to the conditions as laid down in the rules which were mutually agreed upon by both employers and workmen in February, 1891, and, therefore, request the employers of the district who were parties to the agreement to pursue the course as defined in Rule 8, for any alteration they may consider desirable to make. I may point out that, while giving your suggestion due consideration, on the 6th of February the men would be allowed to com- mence making full time, starting at 6 a.m., so that the same friction would then take place with artificial light for the first hours in the morning as that which is the cause of the dispute from 4.30 to 5 p.m. at the pre- sent moment, hence the necessity of adhering to the terms of agreement of February last. Any further communication you may liare to make on the subject, kindly address such communications to Mr. J. W. Howell, Witchill Hotel, Barry-road, Cadoxton.— Faithfully yours, E. C. GIBBS, General Secretary. IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE TRADES COUNCIL. At the Picnic-hall, Cadoxton, on Wednesday night, a special and well-attended meeting of the Barry District Trades' Council was held for the purpose of considering the present dispute. The proceedings were strictly private, but we under- stand that a resolution was unanimously agreed upon, which, when put into operation, will have an important bearing on the dispute, and especially, it is needless to add, to the interest of the men on strike. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH WALES STAR. SIR, Kindly allow us to publicly thank the firm of E. Lewis and Co., painters and decorators, Cadoxton, for still adhering to the rules of the Painters' Union in this district, although the name of this firm appeared in conjunction with the other employers. As not recognising the rule alluding to the hours of labour before two days had elapsed, it was publicly announced that this same mentioned firm wished to have their name taken from the Employers Association, and that the contract signed between employers and men would in future be kept. We hope the inhabitants of the district who are in a position to employ labour of painting, &c., will support this firm.—Signed on behalf of the Cadoxton Branch of A.S.H.D. and Painters, JOHN WM. HOWELLS. Witchill Hotel, Cadoxton.

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PLASTERERS' MEETING AT CADOXTON.

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