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SEAMEN'S AND F!REMEN'S UNiON.

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SEAMEN'S AND F!REMEN'S UNiON. Meeting at Swansea. A lately attended meeting of trades' unionists wa,s held at the Albert-hall on Tuesday evening under the auspicesof the Seamen's and Fire- men's Union. -Councillor Jones presided, a.nd he was supported by Messrs Wilson, Gardner, Hicks, Orbell, R. G. Davies, J. da-rk, and other labour organisers, besides Councillors Motgana.nd TJsher. At the outset Mr RD. G. DAVTRS proposed a resolution protesting- against the attempt of the Shipowners' Federation to form a so-called free bbour union for the purpose of striking a blow at the bona-nde worldng men's organisation, and to enable them to reduce the wages of the workers, and calling on the meeting to pledge itself tc boycott snch sham and stand loyally to the unions that had done so much in the past. Mr DAWSE seconded. Mr WtLoON, of London, in support, said he had no objection to the" Shipowners'Association. for when the employers were once federated together in one union the little petty backsliders would not be able to pull down the wages whenever they liked. Thus the federation would be a blessing to all concerned, and the stronger it was the better it would be for the working men. But it was quite another thing to form a federation for the sole purpose of establishing bogus free labour unions, especia!Iy when thoae unions were to make a rival force by the estab- lisnmont of a horde of blacklegs, so that whenever the men as a whole made a demand or resisted reduction, there should be men ready to take their p]acas. The shipowners declared they were forming these so-called free unions in the t iterest of the men. He wished to ask the shipowners on what grounds they claimed the right to look after the interests of the workmen ? Had they ever done it in the past'? Did they ever increase the wages of the men without being for It ? He wanted to tell those shipowners that their treatment of the men in the past had been so tyrannical that the men could not wipe it out of their m'nds in a day; could not forget the tact that of s1Úpowners who went to church on a Sunday were secretly wishing in their hearcs that some of their old tubs which were over would return. He pointed out how the v.'ages of the seamen had been increased by the action of the union from .S3 10s and ;S5 15s a month to .64- lSs, and all that to be lXÙd to the union was Is 8d, leaving a clear 18s 4d profit, which came out of the, pockeL3 of the So they could understand why the employers were opposing their union and trying to form free labour unions. He urged the men to stand loyally to their organization, for their union had only begun yet, and intended dealing- with the accommodation of the men. their food. and amend the defective laws which dealt with shipping, and when that was done they would get ,11 eight homs day. (Cheers.) Mr HiCKS. of Cardie, nonsupported in a spirited address, and after strongly condemning the proceeding of the shipowners, urged the men to boycott the men wuo joined the Masters' Union, and look on every individual who associ- ated hirnseU "ith it as a deadly enemy. Mr HARRY OBBELJ,. Dockers' Union followed, and said the move of the shipowners was aimed a3 much at the ;u:.d kinctred unions as the seamen's. The owners were trying to strangle the strongest first, and if they succeeded they would next fight the others therefore, it behoved aJI unionists to fight, and feel that every blow aimed at the seainti-i would, if successful, rebound on them. The resolution hwing been crried with en- thustasm. Councillor UsHER proposed a vote of thanks to the speakers, and in doing so said he could confirm what Mr Wilson had said as to ship- owners praying for their ships to founder. Sometimes he lent money on ships, and once be did so to a shipowner who was very hard up. One day that iiian came to him and said he had received news that his vessel had gone down, adding that he had been praying night and day for her to go dnwn. Mr J. C. Ct-ARKE, secretary of the trades' council, seconded, condemning in strong terms the seamen who would join the masters' union. Councillor MORGAN followed with an able speech on trades' unionism, and the advantages which would accrue from devotion to its prin- ciples, and then went on to recommend the adop- tion of measures to bring any blacklegs to their Messrs THORE and GARDNER gave spirited addresses, after which a very ent.hl,,¡Ai '11'C':¡11 was brought to a close.

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