MORNING SERIAL

RUMOURS of a “week-in, week-out” system of working were prevalent in the steel shop, fettling shop and all the other departments. It became the chief topic of discussion in the latrine. Within a week the rumours were substantiated as fact when the fettling shop closed down indefinitely.

Another fortnight, and the pattern makers were on the dole, and the fitting shop maintained by half its usual complement of men.

The fear of insecurity gripped the older men and those who had dependants. The dole meant twenty-four shillings for a man and wife. The prospect was demoralizing.

Shop meetings were held to discuss the problem, and to see if some other arrangement could be made to prevent the total closing down of the foundry.

The management was approached. The moulders’ main argument was that the steel foundry was the most important section in the group, the fettlers, pattern makers, fitters, roll-turners all being dependent on the output of castings from the foundry.

Why, in face of this, should the moulders be put on the dole? Could they not arrange a shorter working week? Eliminate the Saturday morning shift, or start work at nine in the mornings instead of at seven. Cut down the number of weekly casts to a minimum, so that the orders they had in hand could be prolonged.

The men’s case seemed valid enough, and the directors agreed to their propositions. They were prepared to give them a trial, anyway. And so the work continued. But there was little to do to keep the moulders fully occupied. Jobs which usually took a few hours to complete during the normal period were made to last as much as an entire day.

Men took advantage of the slump. They sneaked out often from the foundry to the various hide-outs in the “bughouse,” the watchman’s shanty and the furnace landing. Hours were spent in the latrine.

The improvers had discovered that the flat roof of the pattern stores made an excellent sun trap, and here they sunbathed in the afternoons, stripped to the waist.