1930s

In the 1930s, with a background of massive unemployment and means tested benefits, unions had difficult times.  In 1932 there was the increased introduction of "scientific" work measurement systems.  These systems started in the USA but soon came to Britain.  The Bedaux system, which was discussed at the 1931 Conference in London, led to one of the bitterest strikes of the period at Richard Johnson & Nephew Ltd. Manchester where the Amalgamated Society of Wire Drawers & Kindred Workers came out on strike in 1934 for over 9 months (a dispute not settled for over 2 years).

Mr J F SIME, (Dundee Jute and Flax Workers) at 1931 GFTU Conference
"First of all, Mr Charles E Bedaux is a Frenchman who had been in America and he there. among other systems, particularly studied the Taylor system, and he thought, and evidently still thinks, that the Taylor system had some defects.  He set out to remedy these with the result that he instituted what is known as the `Bedaux System´. I have here a pamphlet from the Bedaux Company and let me tell you what he himself says is his system.  The Bedaux unit or `B´ is a fraction of a minute of work, plus a fraction of a minute of rest, always aggregating unity, but varying in proportions according to the nature of the strain.  Now, that seems very simple until you begin to think it out.  The `B´ is not a minute of working time but a minute in which work and relaxation are combined in arbitrary proportions, in one case one-third work and two-thirds rest, and another case nine-tenths of work and one-tenth of a minute of rest;  but the amount of effort for any two cases is the same..., in conversation with a Mr Gray and a Mr Cavanagh, the representatives of Bedaux in Dundee, they denied point blank that there was any timing of machinery going on by means of a stop watch.  They had later, however, to admit that the stop watch was used.  But the whole system is based on this, and this is where the relaxation comes in:  a girl is doing a job and they carefully time her, how long it takes to do each part of the operation, and the part said to be relaxation seemed to be the time it took her to turn around and pick up a bobbin for her twine.  It is a most complicated scheme to understand, and the net result of the attempt in Dundee, where we were concerned that two girls were asked to do the work of three.  This was necessary to enable the firm to get at the maximum work that could be done under a `B´ unit by these girls without any loss of time, and it was all done by stopwatch.  The girls, unfortunately, did not complain to the union until the experiment had been in operation for a week.  When they discovered at the end of the week that they had been working on the system, and their piecework earnings ranged from 5s. to 23s. per week less than they had on time rates, then an explosion occurred.  They came to the union, the employers were seen, and I spent the best part of a fortnight in connection with their business.

Another delegate A Dawson of the National Union of Textile Workers, said "...they increase their production by 60 per cent, and the total saving to the firm on the question of wages is 35 per cent;  they pay less than before.  I know, of course, that every place they go to they tell you that their system has been successful, everybody has accepted it with open arms.  When I met a Rochdale firm, I was told that so far as Dundee was concerned, they were working very harmoniously.  Mr Sime has seen one of the chief lieutenants of Bedaux, and everything was going smoothly.  I had in my possession at the very moment, a letter from Sime in which he indicated to me that the people in Dundee were on strike;  that the weavers, 14 miles away from Dundee, were also on strike;  but this gentleman blandly told me that things were working smoothly there, and with the system in operation.  Wherever these people go not only do they carry with them this policy of industrial slavery but also a callous system of misrepresentation.  Fortunately for them, they have come at a time of industrial depression, when the morale of the workers has been sapped by long continued unemployment."

Nothing changes!!

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