Grays Trades and Labour Council Annual Meeting was held on Wednesday 28 July 1915 at the Victoria Café, High Street, Grays. Items included on the agenda:-
THE GRAYS HOUSING SCHEME The Secretary, Mr F. Day, intimated that the various trades unions had been circularised to protest against the action of the Grays Urban District Council in regard to the Grays Housing Scheme. Several resolutions had been forwarded to the Council on the matter. The Local Government Board had also acknowledged the receipt of the protest.
The Chairman (Mr F. Thompson) said the reactionary element on the Grays Council had their own way again, and decided not to proceed with any building scheme under any consideration – Mr Goodger asked if the protests had had any effect – the Chairman replied in the negative, saying the opponents of the scheme were, of course, “case-hardened.” They could do no more until the Local Government Board took action, and he hoped the department would not give way any further.
SAFEGUARDING UNION RIGHTS The Secretary intimated that he had received notification of the formation of the Trades Union Defence Committee to safeguard the rights of the unions after the war was over. The Chairman expressed the opinion that such a body was long overdue. They were faced with many organisations hostile to trade unions. There was no need to mind the war being on. They had to mind the only war that mattered-the war between capital and labour.
The workers had voluntarily given up the rights, which took centuries to win, and, on the other hand, they found a set of people who, with the full consent of the Government, were exploiting the public to the fullest possible extent. Mr Goodger, while expressing a feeling in favour of the proposal, did not wish that they should d ally themselves with any “peace-at-any-price” party. The country would be faced with overwhelming disaster should the Germans succeed, and they must not weaken the hands of their comrades in the trenches.
He, however, agreed that such safeguarding of their trade union rights was necessary, and thought they could support the Defence Committee’s manifesto with such a reservation as he had outlined. The Secretary said the Committee was a trade union body throughout, and had nothing to do with the war. The Chairman said the unions had, in many cases, voluntarily, and in some cases, compulsorily, surrendered their rights; while on the other hand, the capitalists had done their best to exploit the people. It was agreed to ally the Council to the Committee, and that the Secretary (Mr. Day) should act as delegate at any future congress.
RAILWAY NATIONALISATION The Railway Nationalisation Society, having invited affiliation, it was agreed to subscribe 5s a year to the funds. The Chairman expressed the opinion that it was undesirable that the railways of the country should go back from the present semi-Government control to the old system of Company Control.
THE WELSH STRIKE The Chairman moved a resolution congratulating the Welsh miners on the success of their drastic action in the recent strike. Nothing, he said, could justify the action of the Welsh miners more than the fact that the dispute which was likely to occur in that district was only put on one side at the express request of the Government.
The “letter” resulted in a delay of six months, and was the consequences of drastic action. The Port of London Authority refused to meet the men’s representatives or go to arbitration, and Lord Davenport took up an attitude comparable with the Kaiser. The whole of attitude of the P.L.A. was a proof that without drastic action the workers could accomplish nothing. Mr Goodger seconded, and the motion was carried.
THE ANNUAL REPORT The Secretary presented the eleventh annual report which stated that, in spite of the exceptional difficulties experienced, the Council had succeeded in dealing with the various new problems which had arisen during the year. The opening of the year saw them in the midst of the struggle over the London building labourers, in which the workers felt the full force of the Insurance Act.
The London employers agreed with the provincial masters not to employ any men coming from the disputed area, a fact which could be ascertained from their insurance cards. The workers were told night and day that the Insurance Act was a piece of social reform, and they must be thankful that they had only got one piece of such so-called social reform, and see to it that they did not get another Act which enabled the capitalists to so victimise them.
The Trades Council had also tried to establish the rates for agricultural labourers, and organised a demonstration on their behalf, but it was abandoned on the outbreak of the war last August. The war found the nation totally unprepared for the dislocation of industry, and the Trades Council took strong action in regard to the proposition of the Grays Urban District Council re the formation of the local War Distress Committee.
As a result, the Trades Council and the local trade union branches secured representation on that body, although they were hampered to some extent by the swamping of the Distress Committee with a number of benevolent charity worshippers, who devoted themselves to prying and philanthropy, and who represented nobody but themselves. Fortunately, the funds collected had not yet been required for distress in the district.
The Council strongly supported the campaign to secure £1 a week for the dependents of soldiers and sailors, and although it was not possible to secure all that was demanded; the force of public opinion got a large increase to the old scale. With regard to the housing question in Grays, it had taken the Council two years to obtain what it had done in the interest of the workers. In June 1913 their representatives on the Urban Council moved that the Housing and Town Planning Committee be instructed to inquire into the need for increased housing accommodation, with a view to a scheme for the erection of further municipal houses.
That Committee did nothing, and came to the conclusion that there was no need for houses in Grays. Meantime the Trades Council made inquiries of landlords and agents, and invariably found that there were already numerous applicants for houses to let. As a result four inhabitant householders, members of the Trades Council, approached the Local Government Board under the Housing Act, 1909, with the consequence that in November an inquiry was held by the department. The Local Government Board in May last wrote that it had come to the conclusion that there was a need for further housing accommodation, and ordered the Urban Council to take action to provide fifty houses; 25 to be erected in the first instance and the remainder at a later date.
The Urban Council, however, refused to carry out these proposals, and the Trades Council’s representatives were defeated by the casting vote of the Chairman. Thus the capitalists who posed to support working men’s interests had refused their demands, and it was the workers duty when the time came to dismiss them and replace them by men who would think first of all what was good for the workers. He (the Secretary) had been elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Workmen’s National Housing Council, to which that Trades Council was affiliated, and had attended several meetings in connection with that body.
The Trades Council had also taken vigorous action in regard to the Orsett Rural District Council’s non-payment of the recognised rates of wages to men employed on the making of roads for the military authorities. The Rural Council took advantage of the war to exploit the workers and to defy the only body competent to deal with the question.
The Trades Council had been successful in obtaining several improvements in the workers railway service from Tilbury, but the dangerous overcrowding at five p.m. still existed. With regard to the Urban Council election, the Trades Council ran four candidates, and was only successful in securing one seat. During the year they had taken their share in passing various resolutions affecting workers disputes for the organised workers who had sacrificed their trade union rules and privileges during the war were being robbed by the food and coal monopolists.
They must not allow the spirit of self-sacrifice to be used by unscrupulous men in order to grow rich, but must work to remove from public life the swarm of monopolists who were responsible for the present condition of affairs. The Council still maintained its strength, and when all the affiliation fees were sent in would have a balance in hand of £5.
It was to be regretted that Mr. McDonald, the president, was absent owing to illness, and they all would join in expressing their sympathy with him and best wishes for his return.
Mr Colyer moved and Mr. Goodger seconded the adoption of the report, the latter saying they could congratulate themselves on the year’s uphill fight. He complained of the indifference of union workers and the active opposition of the non-union workers, but, on the whole, their work reflected great credit, more particularly, on the Chairman and the Secretary.
The Chairman expressed the opinion that the year had been a strenuous but successful one.
The report was adopted.
