issued to branches, pointing out the effects and possible evil which may result from the successful establishment of a separate locomotive society having the same end in view as the A.S.R.S."
Taken generally, working hones had been increased from 60 to 66 per week, and "the fall in wages enabled the country once more to enter the world's markets at as low a price as foreign nations." The twelve hours day was common, and there was gratitude when the M.S. & L, reduced them to ten. Miners were toiling hard for 26s. weekly, getting 1s. 8d. per ton on coal to the pit mouth. In March of 1879 the following statement appeared in "The Railway Gazette":—
"Men in the service are unwilling to be too prominent, they know the result. There is scarcely a branch secretary who would write to his company and demand the wages due to a member of his branch; he fears the result to himself. It is not so in other trade unions."
In October of the same year Mr. Fred Evans wrote:—
"Excitement and discontent prevail among the whole locomotive staff of the G.W. Railway. Indeed, at no previous time have these feelings been so general as at this moment. Fostering the belief that Sir Daniel Gooch was the enginemen's friend, and confident of wages and hours agreed to in 1867 remaining unaltered under any circumstances, the G.W. drivers and firemen, have been heedless of the numerous warnings that railway labour of every grade was threatened. Even when Mr. Dean issued his circular notifying a reduction of standard wages and increase of two hours in the day's work, to take effect from October 1st, the men consoled themselves by the assurance that the directors and Sir Daniel were ignorant of the matter. Like other impersonal concerns, the G.W. Board are without sympathy or regard for anything else than dividend. Nearly 2,000 men signed the petition backing up the deputation which waited upon the directors, and they refused to withdraw one single condition."
