South Yorkshire Times, February 9th, 1934
Cadeby Colliery
More Trouble Over Conveyor Wages
A Brief Strike
There was further trouble over conveyor wages in the Cadeby Colliery last Friday, when a number of men employed on the conveyor face in the Barnsley seam suddenly downed tools and left the pit, their example being later followed by others, so that on Saturday the whole pit was idle. A meeting was held during the week-end and the men were persuaded by their leaders to act constitutionally, to return to work, and to apply, according to the rule of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, for permission to ballot on the question of giving seven days’ notice to terminate their contracts. The pit has worked normally since Monday.
Conveyors were introduced into the east district of the Barnsley seam at Cadeby last May, and the system has since been extended throughout that district, so that now about 300 men are employed on the conveyor face. The first wages arrangement, based on the stint system, broke down and after a little trouble a price list was agreed last November, under which certain allowances equal to sixpence a ton were to be dropped in three stages during six months. This idea being that the loss would be made good by easier and quicker working after six month’s experience of the new method. The recent trouble has arisen out of discontent with the allowance (included in the price list) for timbering and a desire to have the price list revised in the men’s favour. The matter is at present before the Council of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association.
Summonses Issued
We understand that over 300 summonses for breach of contract have been issued to the men involved in the strike. They are to be heard at Doncaster on February 26th.