IMPROVED WAGES AND CONDITIONS
By Harry Finch
1959The NewsletterHarry Finch Read the scan at ETOL (PDF) →Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: headlines and words can be misread, and a caption or advert can run into the text. For anything you quote, read the scan.
' By warry Finch SHop stewards representing 120.000 workers in the electricity supply industry meeting in Birmingham, have demanded a vigorous fight for the 40-hour week, a substantial increase in wages and a fight for three weeks’ holiday with pay.
In a statement to The Newsletter the chairman of this 150strong stewards’ conference, Bro. Len Pickersgill, told me:
‘The feeling of the men in our industry is that we are grossly underpaid as compared with workers in many other industries. Our lowest paid workers receive only 4s. 04d. per hour and the highest 4s. 104d. per hour. Yet our jobs are highly skilled and we are responsible for supplying electrici:y to the whole country.’
“We discussed wages, hours and conditions in the industry.
All resolutions were passed unanimousiy. We decided that action would be taken to force through our just claims.
‘We are calling for a national 24-hour token stoppage to fight for the 40-hour week. We are demanding that the lowest paid workers shall receive 5s. per hour, with corresponding differentials maintained.
‘The conference set up a national committee representing the shop stewards in the industry from the five unions involved; ETU, MGWU, TGWU, AEU and the Engineering Union of Firemen and Electrical Trades. This national committee will meet in London on November 7, and there we will take a decision as to when the one-day token strike will take place in support of our claims.’
Bro. Pickersgill, who is also the chairman of all electricity supply shop stewards in the Birmingham area, informed me that he has never seen such a determined spirit among the men in the industry. He said: ‘Fifty-one power stations were represented, with delegates coming from Plymouth, Manchester, London, Yorkshire and Liverpool, as well as the Midlands. This is virtually representative of every major power station in the country.’
The men feel that they can be the spearhead in the fight for the 40-hour week and they certainly mean to take ac’ion against the scandalous wages being paid to them.