5. Encouraging research into the particular problems affecting the health and safety of workers in the industry.
The Mines Department, established under the Act of 1920, is responsible for dealing with one of our most important industrial problems, and the success of its administration up to the present time is full of encouragement for the future.
CHAPTER XV
GOVERNMENT LABOUR POLICY FOR RAILWAYS
Pre-war Conditions—Government War-time Control—The Wage Agreement of March 1919—The Railway Strike of September 1919—The Wage Agreement of March 1920—The Railways Act, 1921—The Railway Conciliation Machinery of 1921—Sectional Railway Councils—Railway Councils.
Pre-war Conditions
As Labour proposes on the first opportunity to nationalize the railways, the relationship between the men and the companies is important. Under an Agreement of November 6, 1907, Conciliation Boards consisting of representatives of the companies and the men engaged in the manipulation of traffic had been appointed to deal with questions of hours and wages and working conditions. A railway strike occurred in 1911, and it was stated that one of the reasons for the strike was the dissatisfaction of the railway men with the working of the Railway Conciliation Scheme. The Government then appointed a Royal Commission to investigate the working of the scheme and to report what changes, if any, were desirable, with a view to a prompt and satisfactory settlement of differences. The Royal Commission reported in October 1911, and suggested a new scheme which, with some alterations agreed between the representatives of the companies and of the Unions, was adopted in December 1911. This scheme the Unions gave notice, in December 1913, to terminate at the end of November 1914, at which date they expressed their intention of advancing a national programme for increased wages and a 48-hour week.
Government War-time Control
On August 4, 1914, under an Order in Council made in pursuance of the Regulation of the Forces Act, 1871, the Secretary of State for War issued a warrant—which he renewed week by week, until August 1919, when statutory possession vested in the Minister of Transport under the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, rendered its continuance unnecessary—authorizing the Board of Trade to take possession of practically all the railways of the country. This was done, but the railways continued to be conducted by their respective managements acting under the instructions of the Railway Executive Committee. On October 1, 1914, a truce agreement was concluded between the companies and the Unions, continuing the 1911 Conciliation Scheme, but making it terminable on six weeks’ notice. Alike with other trades the railwaymen received increases in wages from February 1915, on to November 1918. Up to September 1918, men of eighteen years and over received a war-wage advance of 30s. per week. In November 1918, a sliding scale was arranged under which the war-wage was to rise and fall with the index-number of retail prices as published in the Labour Gazette. An additional 3s., raising the war-wage to 33s. per week, was given in November 1918.