From the Annals of Barnsley and its environs

1869, September 11th

Denaby Main Dispute Settled

This dispute, which had lasted upwards of six months, was settled as the result of a conference held at the Victoria Hotel, Sheffield.

The cause of the dispute was briefly as follows: At the opening of the colliery the whole of the workmen were non-unionists, the intention of the managers being that it should be worked on the non-society principle. A movement, however, took place among the men which resulted in a large number of them, if not nearly the whole, joining the South Yorkshire Miners’ Union.

This led to the following notice being posted in a conspicuous place in the colliery:—“Notice is hereby given, that all men employed in this colliery were engaged on condition of not belonging to the union; therefore if any man should now or hereafter join the union, he will at once receive due notice to leave his employment.”

Notwithstanding this notice, the men continued their adherence to the union, and notices having been served upon them they ceased work on the 3rd March.

The men still stood out for the union, and at the conference above referred to it was arranged:—That the Denaby Main Colliery workmen shall be employed indifferently, whether union or non-union men, without inquiry, and that as soon as possible old workmen shall be re-employed.

It is agreed that a check-weighman shall be employed at Denaby Main, and every facility offered him for discharging his duties efficiently.

That Mr. Baines and Mr. Hummis have much pleasure in promising on behalf of the company that the present system of weekly payments of wages shall be continued.

The parties to this agreement, desirous of preventing all future disputes, are favourable to the formation of a Board of Arbitration and Conciliation in South Yorkshire as soon as practicable.