The real dissatisfaction of the engineers and firemen is caused,
not by the new rates of wages so much as by the alleged practice of the companies which, according to Mr. Bromley:— "are refusing to tell a man when he is promoted, and are using cleaners as firemen, and firemen as drivers, for long periods, but telling them they are not promoted to the higher grade. This, of course, will enable the companies to reduce drivers to the lower wage rates, which was not intended by the National Wages Board. As a proof of their intention to worsen this particular finding of the National Wages Board, the companies refused on December 25th, at the meeting of the Central Wages Board, to discuss the matter
at all, and so made it impossible for us to refer it from that Board to the National Wages Board."
If this is true, then the men seem to have a very reason- able cause of complaint, and if the companies did indeed refuse to discuss this matter at all, we can well understand the bitterness which it has evoked. We wonder, however, whether the proper weapon of the men to meet such action as this would not have been a vigorous policy of publicity. If the facts are really as Mr. Bromley states them, could not public opinion have been mobilized against the companies ?
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