Brighton's "scroogi" Firm Faces Fight

from C.Arthur C.B.x. Jersey Mills, of Shanklin Road, Brighton, is involved in an official dispute with the National Union of Hosiery Workers. The local Trades Council has issued a circular giving the facts. "The minimum working week is 72 hours - six 12 hour shifts. Operatives are not supposed to sit down during these shifts. There is no canteen, no sick pay, no pension scheme. Saturday working is 8 a.m. to & a.n. Men start at 5/6 per hour, graduate to 6/- per hour. Women are engaged at 2/6d per hour. There is a derisory bonus scheme which adds little to these basic earnings. Extra pay is given only for Sundays, and Sat: day & Sunday nights. The machines are running 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Week nights are not paid extra. "The management has refused all requests by the Union concerned to discuss these inhuman conditions. Despite this, a number of employeees decided to join the Union. When a meeting was called (out of working hours and in premises a mile away) a technical director of the firm stood outside to take note of those who attended. Within a few days, all employees were called into the office, one by one, and required to sign a "document" to declare that they were not members of any trade union. Those. who refused were told to leave instantly. So far, 17 employees have thus been "locked-out". THIS ATTITUDE OF THE MANAGEMENT IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF DICKLNS, but it is really happening TODAY in 1967!* The firm claims "excellent conditions" in advertisements. In the past few years an estimated 360 employees have come and gone, yet the entire labour force is only about 40! Some conditions! The managements says: "this is a small family firm and trade unions have no place here..." Naturally! In the year ending 3lst October 1966 they made £97,000 profit, paid 24% dividend. No wonder!