Long Eaton Advertiser – Saturday 03 March 1900
The Position of Colliery Surfacemen.
On Saturday evening at Conisborough, Mr. A. J. Bailey, organising secretary of the Sheffield district, addressed a well attended meeting of the local branch of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour.
Speaking as to the position of colliery surfacemen, Mr. Bailey said it was not until 1894 that that branch of workers was recognised by the colliery owners. When the miners had 40 per cent. added to their wages the surfacemen had no percentage at all ; in fact, they were exactly on the same footing se they were in 1894.
When the reduction came on the miner’s wages the owners took ¼ per cent. off the topmen, and the men then saw it was necessary to organise, with e result that they now had in their union close on 3,000 colliery surfacemen in South Yorkshire. (Hear, hear.)
The union had gained for colliery surfacemen during the last 18 months increases amounting to 12 per cent., and their wages were higher to-day than ever they were in the history of the coal trade. (Hear, hear.)
If the present good trade continued the miners would go in for a further advance, and the surfacemen ought to do the came. (Hear, hear.)