Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 17 August 1894
Collieries Set Down
The pits at Denaby and Cadeby are standing idle, the former colliery having been set down all the week except Tuesday morning owing to the refusal of the lads to work at a less rate of wages than before, which they contend should be increased 3d. per day.
At Cadeby a dispute arose regarding the work, whereupon the men gave a fortnight’s notice, which terminated on Wednesday, and they brought out their tools.
On Monday morning, the pony drivers and others employed at the Denaby Main Colliery presented themselves at the colliery gates, but refused to go down the mine.
The Chairman, Mr. F. Croft, said that they had acted unwisely in the course they had taken. He had a deputation had waited on the manager, and the result was that the wages paid on the 10th and 11th of August would be paid till after the 20th inst., when the joint board of employers and men would, he hoped, settle the question in dispute.
Mr. J. Nolen, the delegate, stated that they expected to win the support of the district; they would have to conform to the rules of the association. They could not set a pit idle at any moment and expect support from the association.
Mr. P. Dorn said that this was a question for the parents of the boys to consider. If they had been reduced too much the branch officials, no doubt, would do their utmost to get the matter put right.
The Branch Secretary said that he thought the better plan would be to take the ages and wages of the boys, and then they would be able to present facts before the manager, and if a number of them were underpaid they would do their best to get the matter in dispute rectified.
It was resolved that all boys and young persons employed in the mine give to the secretary their ages and rate of wages for a deputation to present to the manager in the course of the next few days.
It was also further resolved that if the rate of wages paid by the Denaby Colliery Company to the boys, &c., does not compare favourably, that application be made to the council for notices to be given in to serve the same.
A correspondent writes: Yesterday morning the whole of the lads employed at the Denaby Main Colliery refused to descend the mine. A number of them employed on the previous afternoon shift refused to work, their contention being that lads and pony drivers, &c., ought not to be reduced, as their wages were low enough.
A deputation of the boys waited upon the manager, and told them the same thing that he did on Monday, viz., that the Board of Conciliation would settle the question, and that what decision they arrived at he should honourably carry out; under no circumstances could he fly from that decision.
A meeting was afterwards held near the colliery to consider the position. The lads refused any of the adult members to take part in the proceedings, except the secretary, Mr. J. Dyson.
He stated that he had received a telegram from Barnsley on their question, and urged them to resume work tomorrow. He believed certain proposals would be submitted to the Conciliation Board, which would no doubt regulate the wages of the boys for the future, and if that could be accomplished it would be a grand thing for them. (A Voice: We’ll wait till after Monday.)
Mr. Dixon said that if they resumed work tomorrow they would be paid according to the Board’s decision, and if they delayed the question for a while they would be no better off.
There was one question, they would have less wages to take home if they further deferred the matter.
They, however, refused to resume work till after the Conciliation Board had decided the matter.