Jersey Looks Forward - 1919
Jersey Looks Forward
1919
Norman Le Brocq
From Norman Le Brocq's Jersey Looks Forward,
published after World War 2
1919-1920: The clash of unions and management
11 July 1919, A strike at Grandin's, ironmongers and founders, of Bath Street and Commercial Buildings. Twenty-two men were involved. The reason for this action was an attempt to enforce "union shop" at Grandin's. Five men refused to join the union despite the fact that they were drawing union rates of pay. The remainder of the employees presented A F Gallichan, works manager, with an ultimatum that either he refused to employ non-union labour or they would strike. He refused to do anything in the matter. They struck. The union officials decided to support the men and strike pay was paid out. At a district committee meeting, held on 21 July to discuss the situation, the following resolution was passed:
- "That on and after 1 September 1919, the members of the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers Union will refuse to work with non-unionists (male or female). Furthermore, the dockers absolutely refuse to handle goods consigned to non-union firms on and after that date."
Meanwhile, stalemate at Grandin's. So on 25 July the dockers placed an embargo on the loading and unloading of any goods for Grandin's.
On 26 July a consignment of wire for Grandins was placed in the L & SWR store by the dockers, to remain there till after the dispute had been settled. This was removed by Grandin's non-union labour. That meant trouble. The dockers came out, refusing to touch any goods. On the intervention of Jack Hardman it was decided to resume work for one week pending a ballot re a general strike.
Wage demands
At the beginning of August a demand for £2 10s a week was put before the Jersey Produce Merchants' Association. There was still no news of the pending general strike; though Hardman was at English headquarters discussing the matter.
On 18 August the local branch of another union - the English Amalgamated Society of Tailors - called a strike. This was a wage dispute pure and simple. The tailors demanded 10d per hour, a rise of 4½d per hour from what they were getting. Finally the tailors got their 10d.
1 September 1919. The great day had arrived. "We will. not work with non-unionists," had said the resolution. Grandin's men had stuck to that and were still "out". But English headquarters said "No". The reason for Hardman's visit to England was made plain. The general strike had been called off and the resolution remained a pious hope on paper. Such were the "leaders of men".
It is tempting, though unprofitable, to speculate on what would have happened if union headquarters had backed the men. The local union was nearing the 4,000 mark and was full of enthusiasm. The employers were distinctly nervous, but hoping that a stern face would frighten off the enemy. It would in all probability have been the greatest victory that the Jersey worker had experienced. But English headquarters said "No".
On 4 September 1919, Grandin's men were back at work.
The local Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen were called out during the great NUR strike of September 1919, and the local dockers supported them by refusing to carry out any work normally done by NUR men.
In December a demand was made on the Building and Allied Trades Federation for a 1½d per hour increase, with a three-month agreement. The federation offered ½d per hour increase for a nine-month agreement. After a strike had been threatened, the case was put before a Ministry of Labour Arbitrator, who awarded a 1½d per hour increase with a nine-month agreement.
Internal troubles
Meanwhile trouble in the ranks. Moignard and Hardman were at loggerheads. Moignard walked out of the DWR & GWU, and with a small group of supporters formed a local branch of the English General Workers Union. This, the only one of those dangerous splitting tendencies that Jersey unionism has undergone, was straightened out happily a year later by both these unions affiliating to the newly formed Transport and General Workers Union. The local branches were then merged. By this time Moignard had transferred to the NUR.
The next major dispute arose in February, 1920, over a demand by the storemen and carters for 55s per week instead of the existing 35s, and a demand from the coopers for a rise from 45s to 60s. In both cases a further demand was made for a 55-hour week. The Evening Post of February 12, in an editorial headed "The demand for higher wages - Time to Face the Facts", regarded this as an impossible demand, warning the men that "here in Jersey high wages must mean unemployment for we are not a producing community; we live, so to speak, on one another, and if wages get beyond a certain limit our economic system will be completely dislocated and labour will defeat its own ends."
In saying "we are not a producing community" the Evening Post ignored the fact that over half-a-million pounds per annum ploughed into the Island in payment of exported potatoes alone. Besides potatoes the Island exported much other agricultural produce. Thus we are definitely a producing community - quite apart from the large amount of money brought to the Island by the tourist traffic. Thus, as in many other cases, the Evening Post falsified the issue by making statements quite contrary to well-established facts. In any case, if Jersey's economic system can only be saved from dislocation at the cost of low wages and poor working conditions, then it is time that we altered that system.
Agreements expire
A number of existing agreements were due to expire in March and a claim for higher pay was put forward by the smiths and metal workers, the coachbuilders and wheelwrights, the journeyman bakers, the gasworkers, the building and allied trades workers, besides the carters, storemen and coopers.
There was some delay in receiving an answer from the Produce Merchants Association which, when it did come, merely suggested renewing the old agreement with some trivial alterations. This was regarded by Hardman as a refusal to accept the men's demand. He sent a request for the consideration of the men's demands and asked for an answer to be given by the following day. He was told that as the president and vice-president were out of the Island, nothing could be done for another week. Meanwhile no replies had been received from either employers federations.
The DWR & GWU decided to hold a mass meeting at West Park Pavilion on 2 March. R. Greenwood, National Organiser, would be present. Meanwhile, R J Blampied, Secretary of the JPMA, Stanley Guiton, secretary of the Jersey Employers Federation, and Harry Morris, manager of the Gas Light Company, rushed into print to deny any delay on their part.
At the meeting Greenwood made a long and enthusiastically received speech explaining the situation. At the end of this the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
- "This mass meeting of workpeople, representing all sections of employment covered by the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers Union, views with grave concern the continued and repeated attempts of the employers to evade and ignore the principle of collective organisation, the inalienable right of the organised working class. It vigorously protests against the continuance of a policy, the object of which is to delay settlements advantageous to the workpeople, and the saving of wage payments long overdue to them."
- "The meeting solemnly warns the employers that a continuance of those tactics can have but one result; the complete withdrawal of all essential labour until such time as they (the employers) give an undertaking to promptly meet the accredited representatives of organised labour, for the a purpose of discussing wage and other claims, with a view to an amicable settlement."
- "Further, the meeting unreservedly pledges itself to support and stand by any action which may be deemed necessary to give effect to the principle of collective bargaining, and expresses the hope that the employers will adopt a more reasonable attitude, and by a frank recognition of the inevitable, establish conditions that will safeguard both sides against action of an extreme and undesirable character."
On the same evening the newly formed branch of the Workers Union met and heard M Giles, Divisional Organiser, say that the worker could do more by approaching the employer in a courteous way, and they must also appreciate the difficulties of the employer. Such was the difference between the two union locals.
As far as the union claim of delay is concerned, it should be noted that the demand for an increase from the JPMA was sent to that body by the union on 5 February. On 21 February a reply was received saying that the association wished to renew the old agreement. On this very day that agreement expired. Then, owing to all officials being conveniently out of the Island or otherwise engaged, the JPMA refused to place the union's demands before the merchants before 8 March.
Final offer
When the JPMA did meet they made a final offer of £2 per week and backed this offer with a threat that if the men did not accept they would be locked out.
At least that is the Union's story. The JPMA put it rather differently. In a letter to Hardman, Blampied, JPMA secretary, said: "If these agreements (the £2 wage, etc) between the employers belonging to the Jersey Produce Merchants Association and the representatives of the Dock, Wharf, Riverside & General Workers Union are not signed by both parties before Saturday next, 20 March, the said employers will refuse to employ any persons until they are prepared to work on these terms".
In spite of this plain statement, an advertisement was placed in the Evening Post of that same evening saying that "they (the JPMA) have no intention whatever of locking out their employees. All employees willing to continue work on the new scale are requested to inform their employer."
Ah, there's the catch. One might ask : When is a lockout not a lockout? Evidently when it is allowable for black-leg labour to continue working.
On 18 February 18 the men concerned met and the following resolution was forwarded to the JPMA:
- "That the membership of the carters, coopers and storemen request the district secretary to write the Jersey Produce Merchants Association requesting same to withdraw their ultimatum of the 15th inst, which is nothing but a threat, by 4 pm on Friday 19 March 1920, and an early date fixed for the reopening of the negotiations, otherwise the officials of the union will consider their members locked out on Saturday 20 March 20."
It was also recorded that at some stores individual men had been approached to sign the new JPMA agreement and on refusing thus to break union discipline they were given a week's notice.
Strike
On the 20th, no answer having been received from the bosses, all union store employees struck. Pickets were placed on all stores and on the quays to ensure that no carting would be done. A coal ship, the ss Mechelin arrived, but could not be unloaded.
At this point F J Bois, now local Coal Controller, called for the men and masters to let bygones be bygones and renew negotiations. Hardman agreed on behalf of the men, but the JPMA refused.
That this was no local dispute between the store workers and masters is shown by a resolution passed by the Employers Central Advisory Council, composed of representatives from the Jersey Employers Federation, the Building and Allied Trades Federation, the Plumbers Federation, the Jersey Produce Merchants Association and the Farmers Union. This resolution stated "that this Council fully endorses the offer which the merchants have made to their employees; moreover, seeing that the merchants have taken steps to explain to officials of the Union their interpretation which is complained of by the employees, the Council is of the opinion that nothing more can now be done by the merchants."
So the gauntlet was thrown down.
