November 7th, 1906

Council Meeting November 7th 7.30pm

Attendance.  

Present

Miss Emily Cox (chair) , Miss Reilly , Miss Emma Littlewood, Mr. H. V. Herford, & the Secretary

Apologies for absence received from Miss Bulley, Miss Crompton, Miss Gaskell, Councillor T. R. Marr, Councillor James Johnston.

Drawing room meeting arranged by Mrs. Roylance. It was reported that Mrs Roylance of Westfield, Altrincham was willing to arrange a drawing room meeting jointly with the WTUC & the Christian Social Union. Mrs. Roylance was fixing a date at end of November or beginning of December. Miss Bulley was appointed to attend the meeting and speak for the Council.

Proposal for joint action of WTUC & Anti-Sweating League. Mr. Mallon Secretary of the Anti-Sweating League wrote asking the Council to consider joint action with the League in developing a Lancashire branch of the ASL & the establishment of minimum wage. It was agreed to assist the League as far as possible in their work & to cooperate in the arrangement of joint meetings.

Disapproval of Radius Agreements for Shop Assistants. In response to a request from the National Union of Shop Assistants a resolution was passed expressing strong disapproval of the Radius Agreements imposed by Messrs. Samuel & Co. upon their employees & asking for their immediate withdrawal of these agreements.

Report of Anti Sweating Conference. The Secretary reported that the Conference of Cooperators & Trade Unionists held on October 27th at the Sweated Industries Exhibition had been well attended by delegates from Lancashire and Cheshire.  

Resolution unaminously supported. Councillor Tom Fox had presided & the following resolution unanimously passed. “That in view of the need for dealing with the great evils of the Sweating System as illustrated in the Sweated Industries Exhibition, this Conference desires to urge the members of the M/c Salford and District Womens Trades Union Council to continue the good work that they have begun in taking the initiative in regard to the organisation of the Exhibition, and to extend their efforts in every possible way calculated to lessen the conditions of sweating in Lancashire, & pledges itself to support their action.”

Close of exhibition. The secretary also reported that the Exhibition had closed on Monday, October 29th. The attendance had been excellent but all until the sale of goods in the exhibition was completed it was impossible to say whether it would be a success financially without a slight call on the Guarantee Fund.

Hugh V.Herford Chairman Dec 4/06