ANOTHER RED HEARING FOR 

THE L.B. & S.C. LOCO. MEN

During the progress of the A.S.R.S. national movement certain L.B.&S.C loco. men -- members of the A.S.L.E.&F. -- made great efforts to get the signatures of the men in favour of the A.S.L.E.&F. programme for improved conditions of service, and succeeded in getting many signatures, but used them with the officials to try and block progress of the A.S.R.S. movement by stating that the men who attached their signatures desires to have the consideration of the question of alteration in their conditions of service adjourned for twelve months, thus using the signature for a purpose the reverse for which they were obtained. Now these same people are again among the men with another bait for them to sign a petition in favour of expressing the wish that they do not desire that the question of their conditions of service shall be referred to an arbitrator, and that if they do not sign and stop the progress of the movement they will be sure to lose their guaranteed week. Failing in the previous attempt to stop progress, and after the failure to block the progress of the Conciliation Board by the there members of the A.S.L.E.&F., we do not doubt failure will again follow their latest effort to stop progress, as the L.B.&S.C. loco men have an unlimited appetite for red herrings, and will only ask for the next. 

Loco. Men and the Agreement.

The following correspondence has been sent to us for publication and speaks for itself:

[Copy.)

March 29th 1909

Dear Sir,-Scheme of conciliation and arbitration in respect of rates of wages and hour of

labour of railwaymen. Board of Trade agreement of 6th November, 1907.

At a meeting of locomotive-men held at Purley on the 21st inst. Mr. J.M. Bliss, one of the signatories to the above definitely stated the scheme as issued to the staff of the railways was not the same as he signed at the Board of Trade offices the scheme he signed stated the enginemen should have a Conciliation Board to themselves, but as issued to the staff they have other grades included with them, viz, coalmen, examiners, greasers, etc.

I have compared the copied of the agreement as issued by both the London and Brighton and by the South Eastern and Chatham Companies, and find them identical.

This is a serious statement for Mr. Bliss to make, and as I cannot think the Board of Trade would be a party to such alleged. I should be obliged with your assurance that Mr. Bliss has misrepresented the fact

Your obedient servant,

F. BOWERS.

G. W. Askwith, Railway Department, Board of Trade, S.W.

7, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W.,

2nd April, 1909.

Dear Sir, - In reply to your letter of the 29th nit., I have to inform you that the scheme for conciliation and arbitration that has been by the railway companies generally is that outlined in the  agreement of November 6th, 1907, supplementary details being arranged to suit the circumstances of each particular railway.

A copy of the agreement is enclosed herewith for your information. - 

Yours faithfully

(Signed)

W.F. MARWOOD

F. Bowers, Esq.

NOTE The "outline of scheme for conciliation and arbitration" accompanying the letter is identical with that issued to the staff.

F. BOWERS.

PURLEY

Extracted from branch report

Meeting held 13th inst., with a very good attendance.

Proposals for re-formation of a Brighton District Council under consideration, and decided to send a delegate to the preliminary meeting.

Bro. P. Luff gave a report of the meeting of the loco. sectional Conciliation Board, L.B.&S.C., held on 11th inst., stating they had been very courteously received and had a good discussion, but only agreement arrived at was to refer the programme to the Central Board. 

L.B. & S.C. LOCO WORKING

The loco working at Norwood junction appears to be in some need of revision and improvement. It is said that the turns worked from West Croydon and Stoat's Nest vary from twelve to 13 hours of duty, without a break for a meal. The engine have to be coaled from trucks standing in the sidings, no assistance being provided, the coal having to be thrown into the bunker by the men themselves. it may be of advantage to the company to work the men only five days per week in order to save overtime, but it is not very satisfactory to the men, and they would prefer six reasonable days per week.

THE PASSING OF THE ENGINE DRIVER

The standard in an article upon the newly electrified railway between Victoria and London Bridge upon the L.B.&S.C. alludes to the change in conditions upon the status of the men who will be required to drive the motor under the new method of propulsion. Our contemporary says:-

The is ine special feature about the new motors. Skilled mechanics will not re required as drivers. All the mechanical adjusting will be done in the engine sheds. The men who are  being trained to drive are not taken from the ranks of the engine drivers, but picked from among the younger of the guards in the service of the company. A large proportion of the railway traffic in this country is the local and suburban traffic, and by far the greater number of engine drivers are employed in driving the trains used in this important branch of railway work. The new system of the London and Brighton does away with the locomotive fireman altogether, whilst it supersedes the engine driver by the motorman, the skilled mechanic by the skill labourer. Having regard to the quickness with which success in motor matters is copied, it is within the bounds of possibility that the next decade will see the engine drivers and firemen of greater railway companies with their occupation gone.

This bears out, of course, what we have called attention to repeatedly in this column. The electric railways are developing a new race of railwaymen, in which there is no distinct line of demarcation between the grades; men may be conductor one day and drivers the next, according to the dictates of the traffic inspector. The erasure of grade distinction, the departure of the skilled and laboriously trained engine driver, the abolition of the post of fireman, and the tendency for men on the electric railway to become handy-men of transport without the high technical skill requisite on the old steam railways will be a hard problem for our friends the sectionalists to settle. Like many other they must be swept under in the sea of mechanical and commercial development, and when they face and recognise the problem, the Standard suggests the idea of amalgamation for railway workers will not be denounced as an impossible dream.   

BATTERSEA

Extracted from branch report

The usual meeting was held on the 4th inst.

A representative on the L.B.&S.C. loco. Sectional Conciliation Board gave a report of the board meeting and the results, which was the loco. men's programme had now been referred to the Central Conciliation. 

BRIGHTON No.1

Extracted from branch report

The half yearly meeting was held on Sunday last, and resulted in much interest being displayed but the members in the various subjects dealt with.

The secretary intimidated he had received the old age grant (£30) for 1872 member, also the death grant for our late member Bro. Vallance, engine driver; the members expressed condolence with the relatives.

 Railway accident on the 

L.B.S.C.R.

L. B. & S. C.

There is a change in the head of the loco. depot at Battersea, L.B.&S.C., which it is said the employees have been hoping and praying for some time. In the past sympathy for humanity, which might err in its Labour task, by failing to perform exacting duties with defective material mechanism, has been wanting. The great number of dismissals, resignation, suspensions, reductions, and reprimands has brought about a feeling of mistrust. It is to be hoped that matters may soon improve, and that that feeling of confidence which should exist may make life worth living for the employees, who labour and produce dividends for this who do not. 

PURLEY

ENGINE DRIVER 

W. J. COOK

STOAT'S NEST

With deep regret the Purley Branch records the death of Bro. W.J. Cook, driver, L.B.7S.C., who received fatal injuries in the accident at East Croydon on 10th inst., from which he succumbed the same day. Mr. J.H. Dobson attended the inquest on behalf of the relatives, and the interment took place on the 15th inst., when a large number of friends and fellow workmen of all grades of the locomotive and traffic departments, including Mr. G. Fowler, loco foreman, Croydon and Stoat's Nest, Loco. Inspectors F. Saunders and Young, and several enginemen followed the remains to their last resting place in Brockley Cemetery. Floral tributes were sent from the loco. staff, West Croydon and Stoat's Nest; loco. staff; loco. staff, Eastbourne; traffic, Stoat's Nest; and traffic, East Croydon; which, together with the number of friends present from Stoat's Nest, Croydon, Battersea, and New Cross, testified to the high esteem in which he was held by all. Our brother was laid to rest with his son, who by a singular coincidence was on July 10th, six years previously, fatally injury at New Cross loco. Great sympathy is felt for the widow and family.

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INQUEST AND INQUIRY AT CROYDON

An inquest was held at Croydon on the 12th inst., by Dr. Jackson re fatal accident to Bro. W. Cooke, driver of the Purley Branch.

Councillor J.H. Dobson attended on behalf of the widow and family.

The inquiry lasted about five hours, after which a verdict of "Accidental Death' was recorded.

In connection with the same accident a Board of Trade inquiry was also held on the 16th inst. Colonel Von Donop was present, and will report in due course. Mr. Dobson appeared on behalf of the deceased.

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PURLEY 

extract from branch report

Meeting held 8th inst., with a fair attendance.

Resolution passed unanimously: "That this meeting instructs the secretary to write Mr. A. Gill, secretary, Central Conciliation Board L.B.&S.C., urging upon him the necessity of holding a meeting of the Central Board before the vacation; we believe it to be not in accordance with the scheme of conciliation and arbitration to tie up the work of the Central Board indefinitely waiting for the programme of any one section."