Denaby Main Miners – Wage Advance

January 1890

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 31 January 1890

Denaby Main Miners.

Last night a crowded meeting of the Denaby Main miners was held.

The Chairman stated that the chief questions were the eight hours question and the proposed further advance of 10 per cent., also the unskilled labour question.

A Miner suggested that the officials at Barnsley should get out the present selling prices of coal and those which were current previous to any advance being given, for the purpose showing the public that the miners were entitled to further 10 per cent, advance without the colliery owners advancing the price of coal.

Another said the Colliery Guardian showed that the prices had advanced in Lancashire 82 per cent., and the Manchester Guardian gave it at 93 per cent., while the miners were only receiving 30 per cent.

Another speaker said if the “Eight Hours Bill became law, did not think anybody would the worse for it. He believed in unskilled labour being kept out of the mines, and hoped that the district would do its best to get it passed into law that only skilled labour should be employed.

A local grievance was also discussed, and it was stated that Mr. Pickard, M.P., an interview with the manager to-day, would try set right.