Mexborough and Swinton Times October 18, 1895

The Dispute at Denaby Main Colliery
Meeting of Miners

A largely attended meeting was held in the Lodge room last night, and the position of affairs was fully gone into by Mr T Hough, the district secretary of the National Amalgamated Unit of Labour, of which body most of the top men are members.

He said the manager had given them hope, some months ago, that the matter should be fully investigated. This was not carried out, and hence the giving in of the notices. They were asking for not advance: they were merely wanting the men to be paid a fair wage and to be on a similar financial footing with other men in the district in similar occupation will stop the men and for some time been “clamouring” to hand in their notices, but he was one who was much adverse to a strike if it could be avoided, and he had done his best to have the questions settled amicably.

As it was either it appeared that the men would have come out, and he recommended them to do so unless their requests were acceded to. It was said their notices were illegal, but Mr Muir Wilson, their solicitor, informed them they were quite legal, and therefore they were not much concerned about such an insinuation.

When the notices given in by the shunters, firemen and drivers expired, the company actually not only introduced “black legs,” but paid them more money than the old hands had been asking for. There was nothing any reasonable person could take exception to in the demands that were being made. The manager spoke about the Consolation Board agreement, but he practically confessed that at Denaby Main 25% less was being paid in wages than was right.

He contended that, at the interview, Mr Chambers told them a “lot of fairy tales.” It was absurd to talk about there being no demand for coal. The ships in the port of Hall waiting for the Denaby coal did not look like it, nor did the statistics of the general output of coal.

The top men furthermore never agreed to the decisions of the Consolation Board and it was therefore not binding on them. They had been continually having reductions at Denaby Main, and it was time this kind of thing was stopped. Was 19s 6d for 57 hours were proper pay? (“No,” and “Shame.”) The stoker’s wage ranged from 3s to 3s 6d per day; shunters 3s 10d and under; top drivers 4s 11d and some 3s 10d (“Shame.”)

This was much lower than Kilnhurst, Roundwood, Stubbin, Manvers Main and Wath Main. (“Shame.”) Yet they at Denaby Main were asking for a 25% advance. (Laughter)

He read the following statements:

1. That the present system of fines be abolished
2. But when Carter’s work from 6 am to 10 pm, they shall be paid 1 3/4 days pay for it as formally.
3. That, as at all other collieries, 54 hours shall contribute a week’s work for all shop men, yard men, plate layers, Carter’s and general labourers: all time worked all this to be paid as overture – all hours between 1 pm Saturday and 6 am Monday to be paid a rate of six hours shift as formally.
4. All drivers, shunters and firemen to be paid the average rate paid at other collieries in the neighbourhood.
5. That the present system of displacing male labour by introducing boy Labour to be abolished, and boys to be paid at the following rates: Boy starting work at 13 years 1s 3d per day and advance a penny per day every three months up to 18 years of age, when he shall receive 3s per day, and afterwards the current rate the class of work you may then be doing.
6. That before a man or boy is discharged there shall be an enquiry into the cause thereof, according to rules 33 of the company’s bylaws.
7. That we request that the five banksmen now out of work be engaged by the company and that no undue advantage be taken of them for the part they may have taken in the dispute.

The manager’s reply is as appended:

1. We are and have been working under the Consolation Board agreement since August 1894.
2. That before the agreement is terminated, a demand is made by portion of the men for an increase of wages amounted to 25%
3. That the notices are illegal
4. That demand for increased wages before the expiration of the agreement above referred to is in direct contravention of these terms.
5. That, even had there been no agreement of the kind, the demand for an increase of wages is an impossible one, as, since that agreement was made, the prices of coal have been rapidly falling all over the country and now all over the world, not only so, but, at the present moment demand at any price is rapidly declining.
6. That under the circumstances the Board have no other alternative to close the pits if the demand, is persisted in, and this they are determined to do.

It was decided to cease work, unless the request was complied with, and a resolution to refer the matter to an independent board was lost by a large majority.