On March 18th our General Secretary (Mr. John Bromley) issued a statement to branches, which contained the following:—
"The first Conference was held at the Board of Trade on February 12th, when our National Programme was explained in detail to the representatives of the Government.
"Owing to our wages demand being so much higher than that of the N.U.R. for Loco, men, we were asked to meet and endeavour to agree on one Loco. programme. We agreed to meet N.U.R. Loco. men only, and did so on two occasions, but were unable to get them to increase their Loco. wages claims. We, therefore, had to proceed with the two programmes. The highest rate for drivers asked by the N.U.R. was the same as that for signalmen, viz.:—15s. per day.
"The full Conference again met on February 21st, when the Loco. question was further considered in detail, and we were told that our demands on wages alone meant an annual increase of £12,887,775, and the full demands for all railwaymen an annual increase of £120,000,000. We again met on February 26th, when it was suggested to us that as much of our claim was based on the increased cost of living, we may consider the advisability of increased wage rates with the continuation of a war wage on a sliding scale, which would disappear as cost of living declined, leaving the higher wage rates for work performed. It was also suggested that a Loco. Sub-Committee should meet to go more closely into our claims, and, if possible, make a recommendation to the next meeting of the full Conference. This was agreed to, and the Sub-Committee, consisting of our own Sub-Committee and myself, two Loco. men from the N.U.R. and their General Secretary, several Loco. Engineers, and three General Managers, met on March 3rd, when certain national wage rates for drivers and firemen were suggested from the other side as a basis of discussion. As these suggestions still contained classification, and the rates were not high enough, we were unable to agree to any recommendation thereon. Your E.C., however, later drew up a further suggestion on the lines already indicated, in an endeavour to bring the negotiations to the concrete, which suggestion was submitted to the resumed Conference on March 6th. We were then told that if we could modify our demands on Sunday, overtime, night duty, etc., the Government would be able to offer higher daily rates for Loco, men.
"We again met on March 13th, when the discussion on side issues was resumed, and certain offers made for our consideration. It was then agreed that the case for other grades should have attention for a few days, and your representatives withdrew, leaving the N.U.R. to deal for other grades.
