The Denaby Strike Pay Decision

At the half-yearly meeting of the Yorkshire Federation of Trades and Labour Councils, at Leeds, on Saturday, the Secretary (Mr. Ben Turner) read the half-yearly report, which in reference to the Denaby dispute set forth that another Judge-made law had come in force.

A member could sue himself and his fellow members for the right to stop payments to men on strike if he thought the rules did not provide for strike pay. Under such circumstances (if the recent judgment were correct) the mandate of the members in registered societies was liable to be challenged by any Tom, Dick, or Harry—by any person, being made an enemy of the union (who was a member), and vexatious litigation could follow and unions put to great expense defending actions brought by any viper that came across the union’s path. It was another weapon put into the hands of capital to throttle organised labour.

Respecting the cruel evictions in “Desolate Denaby,” one saw the evils of private property in land, and also the power of capital when it ran mines for private gain and put miners in their houses, thus having a double command over them. These were stirring times, and labour should take off the gloves and fight for all it was worth, and by independent Labour representation in Parliament seek to make laws to make the people happy in place of a few rich and many poor—a few masters and many slaves.

As to the Taff Vale case, another new rendering of the law had taken place, and after 30 years new Judges had declared the old Judges wrong. Referring to the Education Act, the report said the aims of the trades unions should be to get it administered in the best interests of the people. The local bodies should be approached by the trades unions and councils, and an attempt made to secure a good representation on the new educational committees, with the idea of getting the best education possible for the children of the masses.

It was no use their being stupid, and adopting a dog-in-the-manger policy, as the people had to do the paying. The “pay-no-rate” cry was not one that appealed to the worker, who had always to pay, and who would be better engaged in making tracks to mend Parliament by electing Labour men, and then letting them make laws that would give a full, free, secular education to every child.

Resolutions were passed asking the trades councils to give substantial help to the evicted at Denaby, declaring it to be unwise for miners to live in mine-owners’ houses, and advocating the nationalisation of mines; in favour of taking steps to get representation on the Education Committee of the West Riding; and urging all sections of the workers to struggle for adequate Labour representation in Parliament, on magisterial Benches, and on all local governing bodies independent of either political Party.

Resolutions were also passed asking Yorkshire Members of Parliament to support Mr. Keir Hardie’s motion respecting the unemployed when Parliament meets, and urging local bodies to provide work for the unemployed.