Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 03 October 1902
Alleged Loss Of £90,000 In Wages.
The strike at the Denaby and Cadeby continues, the present being the 14th week of the stoppage. The prospect of a definite and lasting settlement is more remote than before, and there is now every probability that the work will not be recommenced this side of Christmas.
There have been no meetings of the men this week, but the local officials have been continuing their effects to obtain financial assistance, in addition to the Union pay of 9s a man and 1s. for each child.
On Sunday morning they paid a visit to South Kirkby, where an open air meeting was held.
Among the speakers and officials present were Mr. F. Croft (chairman of the Denaby breath), Mr. J. Nolan delegate), Mr G.H. Hirst (Cadeby secretary’), Mr. Henry Humphries (Cadeby delegate), Mr J Baker, Mr J Kelly, Mr. J. Macey Manvers Main branch and Mr. John Walsh (South Kirkby).
After the case of the Denaby and Cadeby men bed been stated the meeting decided to at once grant the sum of £5, and agree to a levy on the South Kirkby workers of 6d. per week per man and 3d. per week per lad. A guarantee was given that £10 would be sent this week end, and in future, until the strike is ended, the sum of £14 weekly. This does not represent the whole amount that will be raised by the levy, as smaller grants will be made to other collieries.
Since the meeting of the Denaby and Cadeby was held, an application has been made to the management to allow the men to fetch their tools out of the pit, but this has refused. In regard to any negotiations for a settlement, that matter is in the hands of the Barnsley officials of the Yorkshire Miners’ Mediation, and if there have been any developments of importance the same will doubt be reported at a meeting of the Council, which is to be held to-day (Friday).
On Tuesday there was a distribution at Mexborough of a ton and a half of fish, generously sent from Grimsby by Mr. G. England, fish merchant, Grimsby Docks. It, appears that on Sunday Mr. Rodgers, chipped potatoe and fish dealer. Bank street, was at Cleethorpes, where met Mr. England, with whom he has business relations. They talked about the strike, and as a result Mr. England undertook to send the fish if Mr. Rodgers would see to the distribution. This latter work was placed in the bands of the members of the committee and on Tuesday the fish was served out in portions weighing about three pounds each to nearly a thousand persons. Sound surface men, and even glass works hands, who have been doing badly lately, shared in the distribution.
The other day there appeared in the “Yorkshire Post,” a contribution in regard to the strike, which in several details was totally absurd. The writer alleged that at the commencement of the thirteenth week of the stoppage the men had already lost wages to the extent of £90,000 it has been stated by the management that the amount of wages paid weekly when the pits were working was about £5000, and for twelve weeks that means £60,000, so the writer to is only £30,000 out of his reckoning.
Another statement made in the “Yorkthire Post is as follows: ” the colliery management met the ‘bag dirt’ cry with an offer to relieve the men of the work for which they alleged they were not sufficiently paid. They also offered to set right any illegal deduction, if such could be proved. What the colliery company did was to offer to do “bag dirt” work if the men would submit to a reduction of halfpenny on the tonnage rate at both Denaby and Cadeby pits, and as the management say they do the work at less cost than a halfpenny on the tonnage rate, it clear that they would make a good good speculation out of the arrangement if it came off. In regard to the other matter, the colliery company will not admit that there have been any illegal deductions.
The tone of the “Yorkshire Post” article suggests that writer is ill informed, or shamelessly careless of the statements he puts forward as facts. He cannot even make the simple statement that the men stopped work without displaying ignorance. This is the way be puts it: “Then, one day, without giving any notice or warning, the men threw down their tools, went on suite, and have done no work since.” It was not afternoon—it was on a Sunday morning; the men did not throw down their tools–the tools were already down. Of course this is a mere trifling error, but the “Yorkshire Post” article is full of such errors.
Here is another sentence from the article: ‘So far can one can judge, the day of negotiations pure and simple has passed, and economic forces alone will decide the matter—which means that much loss will have to be incurred on one side, and much suffering borne on the other ere the day of surrender comes”. There may be wisdom embodied somewhere at this remark, but although the writer does try to explain what the first part means, the sentence is really a confused and confusing jumble of words. A careful examination of the article suggests that the writer wants the men to go back to work, not became they are well paid, not because they have done wrong in his opinion, but. Simply because they are ready beaten by a wealthy and powerful company, federated with the rest of the coal trade of South Yorkshire.”
Alluding to the revised price list, the “Post” writer says, “They have submitted to the colliery owners a revised prior list, which they master the same means an increase of more than 40 per cent on the in force at the time of the stoppage.” When and where did the masters say so? W. B. She himself told one of our representatives that a list which had been submitted mean an increase of 14 per cent. It is quite possible that the ‘Post’ writer is confused on this as on other points. 14 and 40 sound very much alike and a careless man easily mistake one for the other. The masters have certainly never publicly stated that the new lace would mean 40% of an increase.
In stopping the pit without notice the men are not free from blame and they are themselves the first to admit that they did wrong in that particular. People in the district have very justly complained bemuse greater speed not displayed in during up the revised list. It is a fact that after the hasty action of stopping without notice the men, voting by ballot, decided by 1967 votes to 59 that the grievances were of such a serious nature as to warrant to the handing in of notices to terminate their contracts.
In the course of some on the strike, our Density correspondent writes: Despite the fact that last week the men only received a shilling each has extra money, in addition to their strike pay, very little dissatisfaction was heard amongst the men and this clearly shows their determination. The reason the men only received a shilling each extra was that the public contributions were less than usual the previous week—a clear depression that probably due to the Doncaster race. A larger sum will probably be paid to the men this week. Quoting Mr. Croft’s words, it is possible that this “nipsey” money may average as much as 4s. or 5s. per man per week in the near future and if the new rate of contributions and benefits should be favoured by the majority of the members of the men’s association the men would commence the new year with confidence. Regarding the new price list, I think there are items that may have to be modified, but who could dispute the fairness of the offer of the men to go and get coal at 1s 3d a ton, where it used to be is 1s 1 ¼ d? On the face of it that seems a reduction, but there certain condition on the old list that the men mean to abolish before resuming work, one item especially, that of building tax to support the roof. So far as I can understand a miner work should be to get coal, and I can’t see why he should have to build a pack with stones and dirt, when his business is closely to get coal. This practice of pack building by the mimes has gone on for years, and the men have not, been paid for it, at least as far as I can understand. And yet we daily hear people say the men ought to go back to work— a remark I agree with if conditions of labour are mutable but they are not, and until they are I am prepared to see the wheels stand and sympathise with the men in their trouble.