Striking Out

The Ladies usually opposes job strikes and warns its readers when threatened job actions might affect supplies--suggesting, for example, that women remind themselves how to bake bread in case the bakers stopped work. But it did support this boycott, which it considered a strike:

"A singular movement has taken place in the North. It is no strike of the ordinary kind, but an attempt to bring the butcher, the milkman, and the potato dealer to reason as regards prices, and, as far as we are in a position to judge, the leaders of the movement have a very good case. It appears that on Thursday morning upwards of 500 women met at a brick-garth at Seaton Colliery, Newcastle, many of whom, "carrying banners, fire-blazers, shovels, and trays, which they continued to beat, making wild and unearthly music,' their object being to pass a resolution to the effect that no more butchers' meat, vegetables and milk be purchased until the ruling prices were reduced to a reasonable level. Fair terms were offered to the dealers, and if they do not choose to accept the terms it is evident that they must find a market elsewhere. Another movement of this kind has taken place at a neighbouring colliery, and there is every reason to think that the strike will become general throughout the district. Now there is a great deal more sense shown by these Newcastle women in rising up and resisting extortion than in the majority of the ordinary strikes throughout the country. And it would be a good thing for poor people and families in moderate circumstances--indeed for all--were stands made in the chief centres of trade against the arch-enemy of the housewife--the butcher. The milkman we do not so much care to meddle with, because a reduction in price would mean a worse article, and goodness knows milk is quite bad enough already without making it still more wishy-washy by driving the dairyman to desperate courses. With the butcher, however, we can deal with fewer fears and with more satisfaction, having regard to the cries that are rising on every side in respect of his hard and harsh mode of dealing. In the first place we have good preserved meat from Australia, and in the next place a vegetable diet would do us no harm during the hot weather. Then comes the dealer in vegetables, who is said to have lately taken a leaf out of the butcher's book; but we think that the farmers would soon settle him by forwarding to market an extra quantity of vegeable produce. We are not, of course, wishing to incite any one to strike, but it is as well to tell the butcher that for the next three months, at least, he will not be all-powerful, and, in consequence, he should try and win the good graces of the customers now."