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THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

May 16, 1913.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

North of England.

Ballot papers were despatched to the members of the
"Cumberland Colliery Enginemen’s and Boiler Firemen’s
Association on Saturday, in order that they may vote
on the question of striking to secure a general eight
hours day. The votes will be counted, and the result
.declared at Maryport to-morrow evening (Saturday). It
is stated that the winding enginemen, who number 76,
have had eight hours for 14 years, but the boiler fire-
men, haulage, fan, and electric enginemen, numbering
100, work 12 hours, and the coalowners have several
times refused to grant them eight.

Some time ago Mr. H. Dack, the agent of the Cleve-
land Miners’ and Quarrymen’s Association, approached
the Home Office with a view to a modification of one of
the paragraphs of an Explosives Order of May of last
year, which specifies that powder must be taken out of
the mines at the close of the shift. His object was to
allow men to leave the powder in the mine as was the
custom in the past, but on the 8th inst., at a meeting of
the executive at Saltburn, he reported that a letter had
been received stating that the Home Secretary regretted
that after a careful consideration of all the circumstances
he saw no sufficient ground for making any alteration
in the requirements of this paragraph. Reference was
made to the proposed scheme of aged miners’ homes for
Cleveland, and instructions were given for a circular to
be issued to the members with a view to getting their
opinions on the question, of subscribing towards such an
object.

A further meeting between the sub-committee of
Northumberland miners and coalowners, respecting the
colliery owners’ proposal for the establishment of a
sliding scale to regulate miners’ wages in the county,
was held on the 7th inst. at the Coal Trade Office
Newcastle, Mr. Tom Taylor presiding. The owners
recommended that wages be governed as follows:—At
a selling price of 6s. 9d. or any figure below 6s. 10d., the
wages shall be 15 per cent, above the basis of 1879.
Above that figure an advance or, reduction to take place
at the rate of 1 per cent, for each penny change in
selling price, the changes to take place at this ratio up
to a maximum of 60 per cent, above the basis of 1879.
Counter proposals were made by the men, and after
lengthy discussion of the points raised, the committee
adjourned.

An important meeting of the Cumberland Coal
Conciliation Board was held on Wednesday, the 7th inst.,
at the Coal Offices, Workington. Mr. W. Graham, the
president, occupied the chair, and there was a large and
representative attendance. The miners presented the
following demands:—Extra pay for time worked after
12.30 p.m. on Saturday, to 6 a.m. on Monday, for both
underground and surface workers. Extra pay for over-
time to surface workers who work overtime during the
week; shorter hours on Saturdays for surface workers;
regulations of apprentices’ wages ; to fix a uniform wage
for the different classes of surface workers employed at
the colliery; to advance the standard rate of 4s. 3d.
per shift, plus current percentage, to 4s. 9d. per
shift, plus current percentage, for men working at
abnormal places, and the same rate to be paid to men
brought from the coal face from contract work to do
shift work. After considerable discussion it was decided
that all the points raised be referred to two committees,
one dealing with surface questions, and the other with
underground questions, the committee dealing with
surface questions to meet first.

A dispute at Newbiggin Colliery resulted in the pit
being laid idle on Tuesday. Since about a year ago,
when there was no joint committee, the management of
the colliery have been claiming a reduction in the
tonnage prices, but it was resisted by the men. The
claim was for a reduction of 5d. per ton in whole
working and 6d. per ton in longwall working. When
the joint committee was reorganised, the management
submitted their claim to the committee, and it was con-
sidered at a meeting held on March 8. The two sides
failed to agree, and the matter was sent to arbitration.
The award of the umpire, which gave an all-round
reduction of 5d. per ton, caused great dissatisfaction,
and it was decided to tender 14 days’ notice to come out
on strike.

Federated Area.

The monthly conference of the Lancashire and
Cheshire Miners’ Federation was held at St. Helens
on Saturday. Mr. F. Greenall, who presided, said he
regretted that for a long time past St. Helens had been
regarded as the black spot in the Federation, where the
men were disorganised, and wages were lower than in
any other place. They intended to persuade these
people to join the Federation, and to argue the matter
with them, but if they did not join they intended to use
force. He was pleased to say that the majority of

colliery managers and owners throughout the district
agreed with them in this matter. It was decided to
take a ballot of the employees of Messrs. Richard Evans
and Co., Haydock Collieries, and also those of Messrs.
Blundell and Co., Pemberton Collieries, on the non-
union question. During the past few months grievances
have existed at the Astley and Tyldesley collieries on
the question of clutching-up the minimum wage and the
treatment of several workmen, and after some discussion
a resolution was carried instructing Messrs. T. Greenall,
T. Ashton, and J. M‘Guirk to attend at the colliery
office and demand that the branch secretary and the
men affected in the minimum wage be reinstated in
their own working places; that each set of men be
allowed to govern and control their own working places
and fill their own tallies, and not one person have the
contract of several working places, and the men have to
fill one tally number; and that if a written promise
could not be obtained, then the whole of the men should
cease work when the notice expired, which will be on
Tuesday, May 20.

A case of considerable interest in connection with the
National Insurance Act was heard by Judge Moss at
Wrexham recently, when William Povah, employed at
the Llay Hall Colliery, was sued on behalf of the North
Wales Miners’ Federation for Is. levy in respect of
contributions payable under the National Insurance
Act, and insurance premiums under the Workmen’s
Compensation Act. Mr. Wynn Evans, solicitor for the
plaintiffs, stated that this was one of six cases which
had been brought to recover from colliers employed at
the colliery in question, their proportion of the contri-
butions payable by them as employers of the check-
weighmen and tool sharpeners at the colliery. In
defence the defendant stated that he objected to pay
because he contended that the sharpeners were paid by
the colliery company direct and not by the men, and
therefore the company ought to pay the insurance con-
tributions. He, however, admitted that the colliery
company made a deduction from the colliers’ earnings
to cover the amount paid to the sharpeners. The judge
remarked that it was a custom for workmen employed
at collieries in the locality to be bound by the decision
arrived at in a public meeting of the men, and he there-
fore gave judgment for the plaintiffs with costs.

It was ascertained on Saturday that the trouble over
the employment of non-union labour in Warwickshire
was fast settling itself.

Since the county agreement between the North Wales
Coalowners’ Association and the Lancashire, Cheshire,
and North Wales Enginemen and Boilermen’s Federa-
tion was signed on March 27, Mr. T. Watson, of
Golborne, agent to the men’s Federation, has been in
negotiation with practically all the Flintshire coal-
owners who are not members of the North Wales
Coalowners’ Association with reference to the increased
wages rates which the agreement provides for. In
consequence of the increase in wages which the county
agreement, as it is called, makes provision for, the Flint-
shire coalowners referred to, it is stated, have refused to
comply with it. After negotiations had failed, notices were
tendered on behalf of the men at the Point of Ayr collieries
to terminate last week. On the day when the notices
should have expired for the Point of Ayr collieries, the
employers there arranged to comply with the agreement
fully, and, consequently, the notices were withdrawn. A
joint meeting was arranged to be held last Friday at
Chester, and as a result of this it is expected that all
the employers will come into line with the regulations
as laid down in the agreement, Under the new agree-
ment referred to all the men in North Wales would
receive the same standard minimum rates, with added
percentages, as are paid to the men in the Lancashire
coalfield, while the scale of reduced hours will likewise
operate equally in Lancashire and North Wales.

At the last monthly council meeting of the Leicester-
shire Miners’ Association, the agent (Mr. Lovett)
reported that the question as to the net cost of
explosives had been settled. On April 14 a joint
meeting of representatives of the owners and men was
held to discuss the question of a minimum wage for
banksmen. After much discussion and several adjourn-
ments, it was finally agreed that there should be a
minimum wage, which was fixed as follows : 13 years of
age, lid. per day basis and 50 per cent., making Is. 5d.
per day; 14, Is. Id. and 50 per cent., making Is. 8d.;
15, Is. 3d. and 50 per cent., making Is. lid.; 16, Is. 6d.
and 50 per cent., making 2s. 3d.; 17, Is. 8d. and 50 per
cent., making 2s. 6d.; 18, 2s. and 50 per cent., making
3s.; 19, 2s. 2d. and 50 per cent., making 3s. 3d.;
20, 2s. 5d. and 50 per cent., making 3s. 8d.; 21., 2s. 8d.
and 50 per cent., making 4s. In the percentages
the banksmen’s wages have always been 10 per cent,
less than those of the men employed below ground,
as the first 10 per cent, was never received by the

banksmen. Since this agreement was arrived at another
5 per cent, has been conceded, and will be added to the
basis wages. It was also agreed that men 63 years of
age and over and inefficient men should not come within
this list, and that men now receiving higher wages than
the list should not be reduced. It was reported that the
agent and president of the association had attended
before a committee appointed by the Conciliation Board
to supplement or explain the written statement of the
workmen’s case as to the right and proper method in
which the 5 per cent, advance on the 1883 basis should
be paid to the men in addition to the minimum wage.
Mr. E. D. Spencer and Mr. Bridgeman (one of the
secretaries to the Leicestershire Joint Board) attended
on behalf of the owners. The result is to be made
known later.

A conference between representatives of the engine-
men, firemen and mechanics engaged in the collieries of
South Derbyshire and Leicestershire and representatives
of the masters was held at Ashby, on the 9th inst.,
Mr. R. R. Lishman presiding. The firemen and engine-
men are agitating for an increase of 6d. per day. This
will bring their wages to 7s. per day. The other work-
men desire their working period to be reduced by one
hour per day. A discussion of three hours’ duration
ensued, and eventually it was decided to adjourn the
conference for a fortnight.

As a result of conferences between employers and
the men’s representatives, between 2.000 and 3,000
miners in the Accrington, Rishton, Great Harwood,
Altham, Clayton-le-Moors, Huncoat and Lower Darwen
districts of Lancashire, on Thursday, May 8, accepted
the new rate of pay—viz., 7s. 4d. per day—when
working in abnormal places.

At a meeting of the South Derbyshire Miners’
Association this week, the agent (Mr. W. Buckley) said
it would be impossible to settle peacefully certain
difficulties at Messrs. Hall’s Colliery, Swadlincote, and
he was sorry to advise that notice be given to cease
work. The executive council sanctioned a strike at the
colliery, and advised notices to be given in.

At the conference of the National Federation of
Winding Enginemen at Southport on the 13th inst., it
was decided that the Federation commence an active
propaganda for the establishment of an eight hours
shift for all colliery enginemen, boilermen, and firemen.
It was decided to include electric engine men and
pumping engine men consequent upon the great strain
and tension involved in the duties. It was also resolved
that action be taken to induce the whole of the engine-
men, boilermen, and firemen employed in and about the
mines to become members of the Federation.

A ballot of the whole of the mine workers in York-
shire, numbering 130,000, is to be taken on the question
of a strike to enforce the demands of the West Yorkshire
surfacemen. This decision was come to at a joint
conference held at the headquarters of the Yorkshire
Miners’ Association, at Barnsley, on the 8th inst. At the
conference the miners’ association was represented by
the members of the joint committee, and the following
associations also sent representatives:— The Gas
Workers’ and General Labourers’ Union, the National
Amalgamated Union of Labour, Cokemen’s Union, South
Yorkshire Winding Engine Association, and National
Amalgamated Union of Enginemen. It was unanimously
agreed to take a ballot of the whole of the mine workers
throughout Yorkshire, numbering about 130,000, to
decide whether they are in favour of giving notice to
enforce the demands of the West Yorkshire surfacemen.
The vote is to be taken during the week commencing
June 1, and the papers are to be returnable on June 7.
A further conference is to be held at Barnsley on
June 10.

Scotland.

A meeting of the executive of the Lanarkshire Miners’
Association was held in Glasgow on the 7th inst.
Reports were submitted on several disputes in the
county. A letter was received from the chief inspector
of mines for Scotland, suggesting a meeting of coal-
owners and miners with reference to the establishment
of a national ambulance league competition, and making
certain suggestions. It was decided to discuss the
matter at the next executive meeting.

A claim for an increase in the wages of miners to the
extent of 25 per cent, on the 1888 basis has been lodged
with the Scottish Coalowners’ Association by the
Scottish Miners’ Federation. A counter-claim for a
reduction of 12J |per cent, on the same basis has also
been intimated to Mr. Brown, secretary of the Miners’
Federation, by the Coalowners’ Association. Both
claims will come before the Coal Trade Conciliation
Board in due course.

In the House of Commons last week Mr. Duncan
Millar asked the President of the Board of Trade the
increase in the wages of the various grades of miners in