Page 338 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

The Story of the C.W.S. —

Apparently they wanted the federation to break with its own rules
by refusing to supply its own members—the Oldham Societies
and, said the C.W.S. chairman, " we could not discuss that question."
" There is," he continued, " a proper co-operative and trade union
coiu't Avith officials elected apart from ourselves, and it is for the
tailors to lay their grievance before that court." Mr. ShiUito
referred to the Joint Committee of Trade Unionists and Co-operators,
whose arbitration was agreed to in July. Meanwhile, attempts
had been made to bring out the workers at the C.W.S. Ready-made
Clothing Factory in Leeds, but the union of operatives interested
in the newer order were unable to accept the tailors' \aew; and a
mass meeting of some three hundred C.W.S. Leeds women employees
adopted a strongly-worded resolution against striking. Special
grievances over and above the original cause of the Manchester
dispute had been urged against the Broughton works in the latter
stages of the dispute, and these were also considered by the joint
committee. Their report, having decided the primary issue between
the Oldham societies and their tailors, went on to meet the further
Broughton grievances. It recommended that m a co-operative
workshop " disciphne and firmness should be accompanied by
generosity and good feeling," that as far as possible work should
be equitably distributed throughout the factory, that overtime
should be mutually regulated, and that work should not be given
to " outside houses." . . . One, but onty one, other trouble
has arisen in this C.W.S. industry since then. During 1908 a trade
unionist employed at Broughton was refused leave of absence for
trade union business. He therefore absented himself, and was
discharged. Appeal was made to the joint committee, but, this
being something different from a collective dispute, the C.W.S.
Committee claimed a prior right of hearing. The case was hotly
argued at the C.W.S. Quarterly Meetmgs of September, 1908, when,
in defence of the action of the manager, Mr. Lander stated that
during the nine months from the previous September to June leave
of absence had been granted twenty-one times to the same employee.
However, the Committee, while supporting the management, agreed
to a reinstatement, and with this the discussion ended.
The Batley Woollen Mill and the Leeds Clothing Factory, whose
beginnings were described in a previous chapter, of recent years have
had little to report except steady working and unbroken if varying
profits. Growth such as that at Leeds has filled the chapter of their
unromantic but satisfactory story. Returning to Broughton, the
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