The Dispute at Denaby Main

Bringing Out the Tools

Last night about 500 miners employed at the Denaby Main Colliery met at the Reresby Arms Hotel, to hear the report of the deputation, and to decide on what steps should be taken respecting the proposed revision of wages.

The chair was taken by a miner. Mr. Chappell, the secretary to the Miners’ Association, reported the result of the interview with Mr. Chambers, the manager of the colliery, on Monday last, and said that while there might be some slight ground for fault-finding, there was very good ground to make no complaints at all. If another trial were given under the present system, and the men were allowed to have the control of their own trammers, things would be remedied. The miners contended that they ought not to be held responsible for the faults committed by those who had not had a proper training in the mine, and were not thoroughly conversant with their business.

Referring to the wages question, Mr. Chappell said until they received an answer from Mr. Pope as to whether any one of the men’s suggestions could be adopted he saw no other alternative but for the men to bring out their tools. They knew what strikes were; indeed, nobody of persons could know more about strikes than the men of Denaby. None had suffered more than they had from strikes and lock-outs. Everyone wished to go on working, and, if it were only a question of satisfying the public market if the present system of payment were given another trial, he thought every collier and the great bulk of the trammers were prepared to do their best to send out coal in a better state than had been the case previously. There was a disposition on the part of many to admit that things might have been done a little better, although there were many things which contributed to the results concerning which the masters complained. He had been told that trammers had been offered half-a-crown by a deputy if they would fill 40 tubs a day, but no trammer could do that and do his duty. There was another important matter. A few years ago there were six hard screens at the colliery, two men at each screen, when the output was less by 300 tons per shift than at present. If he was rightly informed, there are at present only three hard screens, with the same number of persons. Some time ago there was a block at the bottom of the screens, and each tub was blocked there and properly “fettled.” But at present there is no block at the bottom, and the lumps went straight into the wagon and there was no more about it. Respecting the drops, they were not responsible for it, unless it came in the shape of a great lump falling from a “pot-hole,” the screeners were responsible for it.

In the absence of any definite statement from the owners as to whether anything was going to be done, there was no alternative but to confirm the resolution to the effect that the masters’ terms being a reduction the district could not recommend the men to accept them. It appeared there were no other alternative but to let the thing take its course, and the side which won would win.

The Chairman said in the absence of anything definite from the owners, he had no alternative but to move the following resolution:—“That this meeting can see no other mode of action but to bring the tools out.”

A miner seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. A proposition put by Mr. Chappell to the meeting expressing the approval of the meeting of the action taken by the deputation, was carried. The meeting then closed.

Numbers of the men took their tools away at the close of the day’s work. The men enter on the strike at noon if nothing further is heard from the owners of the colliery.