South Yorkshire Times – Friday 13 April 1934
Cadeby Dispute
Strike Action In The Balance
Fateful Conference
Whether a strike commences on Monday morning at Cadeby Colliery depends on a meeting of the Y.M.A. members this week-end, when a report will be submitted of a conference held yesterday between the men’s representatives, headed by Mr. Herbert Smith, and the management. The conference lasted almost five hours, and afterwards Mr. L. C. Hodges (general manager) said the only statement he could make was that Mr. Smith was to meet the men during the week-end. Mr. Smith declined to make any statement.
“We hope things can be said after we have met the men,” he said.
The conference was attended by Mr. Hodges, Mr. R. H. Pickering (agent), Mr. G. Still (manager), and Mr. W. Middleton (under-manager) for the management, and Mr. Herbert Smith, Mr. Alt. Smith (Y.M.A. agent), Messrs. Ben Roberts, J. Madin, T. Hill, D. Sheldon, T. Ford, and T. J. Gregory, for the men.
On behalf of the men a notice to cease work on April 16th was handed in last Monday. For several months there has been unrest which on several occasions has culminated in sporadic strikes. The main grievance of the men during the dispute at present is in the conveyor district; equal sharing of all work from the pit surface to the coal face; and the exclusion of non-union labour.
For the management it is contended that some of the men have not made a fair attempt to earn the minimum. This is disputed by the branch officials.
The men allege also that six of the men have been fined 5s. each by the management for not working when they had not received what they claim to be the proper rate of wages. Six of the men, it is said, have been stopped altogether and have been told they will not be re-engaged. Negotiations with regard to these six men have broken down.
The dispute affects about 2,300 men, most of whom live at Conisbrough, Denaby and Mexborough. Of these, 2,108 are financial members of the Y.M.A., and in the event of a stoppage will receive the Y.M.A. dispute pay per week of £1 per man and 4s. for each child. Boys receive half-pay.
On Wednesday Mr. Herbert Smith, Mr. A. Smith, Mr. Ben Roberts and Mr. J. Madin spent five hours inspecting the pit, especially the conveyor faces which have given rise to the trouble. After the inspection the owners met the men’s representatives, Mr. Madin, Mr. Smith, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Pickering and Mr. Still, and a decision was reached that the dispute should be referred to the Joint District Committee at Barnsley, and it was decided that the committee should meet this week-end.
On Thursday the owners decided that the question of supporting Cadeby and Denaby in the dispute should be discussed at a conference of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association at Barnsley. The conference, which is being held to-day, will decide whether a general stoppage shall take place.