December 11th, 1918

Executive Meeting held December 11th, 1918 at 3.00 pm

Members present:-Miss Emily Cox (in the chair), Mrs. F.E. Ashwell Cooke, Miss Ashcroft, Mr. H.V. Herford.

Apologies were received from Miss M. Ashton, Mrs. Withington, Mrs. E.W. Simon, Mrs. Findlay.

Minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted.

Arising out of the minutes it was reported that no further reply had been received from Miss MacArthur to the chairman’s letter. The Secretary reported that Mr. William Mellor and Mr. Purcell were fixing up a date with Mrs. Dickenson to hold a meeting of the Women’s Unions at John Dalton Street to put before them the scheme proposed by the Trades Council. The General Election had to some extent delayed the arrangements.

It was decided that the Secretary call a special meeting, if necessary, to consider the position when the Trades Council have dealt with the scheme and further reported their decision.

The Treasurer gave the financial statement. It was decided to increase the cleaners wages weekly by 2/6 to be paid retrospective from the beginning of December 1918.

Annual Meeting. It was decided to leave the arrangements for the annual meeting over until a decision on amalgamation with the Trades Council had been definitely arrived at. It was suggested that the speakers should be Mr. A. A. Purcell and Mr. C.P. Scott, and that the annual report should be short and concise but with reference to the very successful work the Council had done during its existence.

A report of the organisation work of the month was given.

The Woodworkers had held a general meeting of members and decided to suspend the payment of out of work benefit to its members while they were drawing the Government donation pay from the Labour Exchanges. Special cases of hardship were to have grants from the Union funds.

The Upholsteresses Union had had a short strike among quilt makers which had proved satisfactory to their members.

The Women Painters had decided to amalgamate their funds with the Engravers Union.

Emily Cox January 8th 1919