RELATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES.
At the same time they were considering the wages of their bakers and vanmen. These workers had always been paid the wages current in the trade, and now it was reported to the committee that the wages of bakers in the city had been reduced by 2/ per week. The subject was discussed on several occasions, being postponed month after month for lack of precise information, and perhaps, also because they were loth to take the step of reducing wages. Finally, a decision was arrived at. The information was to the effect that nineteen bakers, eight vanmen and stable hands, and four employees in the breadroom and office were receiving a total of £46, 16s. per week. The details of the bakery wages showed that the ordinary bakers were being paid 29/ per week; the ovensmen, 32/; the stockkeeper, 33/; the biscuit baker, 35/; and the under foreman, £2, 2s.; and it was agreed that the wages all round be reduced by 2/ per week. The vanmen who had charge of two-horse vans had their wages reduced from 27/ to 25/; one man who had 24/ had his wage reduced to 23/; and those who were being paid 21/ had no reduction made. Naturally, this reduction did not meet with the approval of the employees, but for three months they do not seem to have taken any action. At the end of that period, however, the committee were memorialised by both bakers and vanmen, and the request made that their wages should be brought up to the former figures. In reply to the vanmen’s request, the committee said that after careful consideration they could see no good reason why they should alter their former decision. The reply to the bakers was couched in somewhat different terms, but it was to the same effect. It was stated that the reduction was entirely due to the state of the labour market in the country. From the reports which had appeared in the public press, it seemed that similar reductions had been made in other baking establishments, and, as the Federation had advanced wages when advances were given elsewhere, when reductions were made they were only following the usual course which regulated wages in the trade. The minute continues: “But to show that we have no wish to take any undue advantage of their position, if they can establish to the satisfaction of this committee that the United Baking Society are paying less than the standard wage current in Glasgow, we as a committee would have much pleasure in reconsidering the whole question at next meeting. Until that is done we adhere to our former agreement.”