Page:Engines and men- the history of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. A survey of organisation of railways and railway locomotive men (IA enginesmenhistor00rayniala).pdf/176

 as "free and independent men, and denied the right of trade unions to speak for them, as they were not feeling any unrest, and were not underpaid," and so on.

This preliminary round of 1906 led to the crisis of 1907, and ultimately the strike of 1911. Late in 1906 an Executive had been elected to serve for the next three years, the members being R. Atkinson (G.C.), Cheshire; J. M. Bliss (L.B. & S.C.), South London: W. Clarken (M.R.), Midlands; Geo. Moore (L. & Y.), Lancashire; C. Shipley (N.E.), Northern District; W. Chapman (G.N.), North Midland; D. Brodie (N.B.), Scottish; Geo. Wride (G.W.), Bristol; R. Bowden (G.W.), West of England; W. Warwick (L. & N.W.), South Wales; W. Clarke (G.E.), North London. It was this newly-elected committee which sent out the circular of January 18th, 1907, giving details of the National Programme to be submitted to all companies, after its adoption by the Conference on January 8th. In brief this programme provided for the eight hour day, the guaranteed week, exclusive of Sunday duty; Christmas Day and Good Friday to be paid as Sunday, at time and a half rates; mileage clauses with a limit of 250 miles as a day's work; drivers' wages, 6s. daily, advancing to 8s. daily after six years; firemen's wages to be 4s. daily, to 5s. 6d. after six years experience; 5s. weekly extra for men living in London; cleaners to have 15s. to £1 weekly, by advances of 1s. per week, per annum; promotion to be by seniority; lodging allowance 2s. 6d., and where there are dormitories, 1s. 6d. daily; being 3s. and 2s. respectively in London.

The discord existing between the two Societies was exemplified at Barry, where, on March 24th, Mr. Fox was refused a hearing, and was unable to address a meeting because some of the other grades had organised a "rough house" for the occasion, bursting open the doors, and indulging in general disorder. Evidently they repented on reflection, as Mr. Fox was able to address a well-ordered meeting in Barry a few weeks later. "I understand," wrote Mr. Fox, "that there were amongst them professing Christians and members of chapels in Barry." Incidents like this indicate that the