FEDERATION
RAILWAY REVIEW
20TH JULY 1900
FEDERATION WITH THE ASSOCIATED AN AMENDMENT
Sir, -- The scheme of federation agreed upon at the Leeds Conference in January last is, in one sense, much nearer perfection than either the members of that conference of your numerous correspondents appear to imagine. It is an admirable piece of work, and we ought to feel thankful towards all who took a part in it. That the claims of loco. men should have received the first consideration was only to be expected, seeing the conference was composed of members of that particular grade, but, at any rate, I think few of us will deny them credit for trying, as far as in them lay, to bring about a means whereby joint action would be assured in all future loco. movements.
The only serious fault to be found in the scheme lies in the constitution of the joint committee, and that, judging from the tone of the letters that have been written on the subject, appears to be the real bone of contention. Of course, it is only right and fair that loco. men should themselves be allowed to draft their own programme without the least interference on the part of any other grades, and there is not a single member of the A.S.R.S. that wishes to deny them their rights in that respect; but neither is it right that movements for all other grades should be under th direct control of loco. men. Yet that I precisely what will happen if the scheme is adopted in its present form.
Ley us suppose a loco. movement has failed to obtain the conditions asked for, and it is found necessary to further press the demands by a withdrawal of labour, then, under the scheme, the joint committee consisting of five enginemen and firemen of the A.S.R.S. and five members of the A.S.L.E. and F., shall be summoned together, and may recommend the withdrawal of labour. That is all right.
Now, let us suppose a movement of any other grades has fallen to obtain the conditions asked for, and it is found necessary to further press the demands by a withdrawal of labour, then, under the scheme, the same joint committee, consisting, mind you, of five enginemen and firemen of the A.S.R.S and five members of the A.S.L.E. & F., shall be summoned together, and may recommend the withdrawal of labour.
It is literally so. no other construction can be placed on clause d, governing as it does clauses a, b, and c. Members of the A.S.R.S. who don't happen to be loco. men will search the scheme in vain for any promise, much less guarantee, of support from the Associated. In its present form the scheme is a one sided affair, of that there can be no question whatever. What is wanted is a federation of the two societies, and that may be held by adopting the following amendment:
Strike out from clause c., the words "enginemen and firemen."
The joint committee would then consist of five members of the A.S.R.S. and five members of the A.S.L.E.& F. The A.S.R.S. section of the joint committee would have nothing to do with the drafting of loco. programmes.
Clause b., which reads, "All programmes for improved conditions for loco. men shall be drawn up at joint meetings of that grade and submitted for the approval of the E.C. of each society" would still be operative. All that would be requires would be for the A.S.R.S. to appoint five or even seven, or ten if need be, loco. men to meet an equal number of Associated members for the purpose of drafting programmes, but it isn't necessary, it isn't wise, nor fair, it isn't even expedient that the A.S.R.S loco. delegates should be entrusted with the responsibility of representing the A.S.R.S. when it becomes a question of joint action between that society and another.
I may be wrong, of course, but the scheme thus amended appears to me to be at once an ideal and a practical scheme, fair to both sides, and unfair to none on either side.
Will those interested in the question consider this proposal and let us hear what they think of it, providing, of course, our esteemed Editor will continue to great necessary space?
Yours, etc.,
AMALGAM
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Sir, -- Your correspondent who signs himself " A Branch Secretary" would eventually allow no one to have an opinion but himself, and those who might be fortunate or unfortunate enough to think as he thinks. When he says that we think loco. men cannot be trusted, he puts the position the wrong way about. It is the loco. men who not only think, but say in the most practical manner possible that the other grade cannot be trusted, and must not be allowed two out of ten representatives.
When "A Branch Secretary" refers to our E.C. and extreme measures. he displays an entire Jack of knowledge of the scheme submitted to us to vote upon. The E.C. cannot consider "the question taking extreme measures" before they are "submitted," and they cannot be submitted to them unless are called together. Now what does the scheme say? It says if 75 per cent. of these ten loco. men agree, then the two E.C.'s are to be called. In that case, of course, the E.C. could consider it, but if, on the other hand, 75 per cent. of these ten loco. men are not agreed, there is no provision made for calling any E.C. together in that case, neither is there any power given to the E.C. over these ten loco. men even if they were called together. We had two specially summoned meetings, and I have asked the general secretary if he could define the position of the other grades in a movement that did not affect loco. men. If they wanted to come out to force their demand, and submitted their case to these ten loco. men who, for fear of having to come out in support of these other grades, refused the 75 per cent. support, and it may surprise "A Branch Secretary" to hear that even Mr. Bell will not undertake to define the position, although, no doubt, he has an option of his own, But we have got so awfully "democratic" that even a general secretary dare hardly have an opinion of his on and express it, and yet these people who make the position of affairs thus are those who are preaching the doctrine of confidence.
The position under the scheme is simply this: that if the loco. men want to come out to enforce a demand, they have not only the power to do so, but they have also the power to call the other grades who have not a voice with them. And, on the other hand, if the other grades want to come out, and the loco. men don't want to come with them, they can vote the movement by refusing the 75 per cent. majority, and the other grades have no redress without violating the scheme and driving true federation further away than ever. In fact it is a clear case of heads thy win and tails we lose, and the other grades are asked to tamely submit and believe that the loco. men, who will neither amalgamate with them nor trust them to the extent of two representatives out of ten, and their best and most loving friends, and the other grades are very naturally saying in reply, "It is all very fine to dissemble your love, but why did you kick me down stairs?" Your correspondent's statement about six to one is misleading, not so much in what he says in what he leaves unsaid, because out of over 600 branches there are only 155 that have the pains to vote on the scheme, and instead of 60,000 members having voted, there are not 5,000, which is not one third of the loco. members alone, to say nothing of the other grades. However distasteful this may be, it is a stubborn fact which cannot be shelved and replaced with sentiment.
No one will deny that the loco. men's position is an unhappy one, and that being admitted, another very painful fact must be admitted also by those who are not too sentimental to face facts -- and that is that loco. men have made the position what it is. It is not the other grades that have made it so,
Yours, etc.,
A. McLAREN