916

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

Max' 2, 1913.

LABOUR AHO WAGES.

North of England.

The executive of the Durham Miners’ Forward Move-
ment, in a circular issued to the lodges throughout the
•county, refer to the minimum wage question. They say
the time is drawing near when we shall have the oppor-
tunity of dealing with the rates and rules of the minimum
wage laid down by Sir R. Romer. Since the award the
•county average has gone up to 6s. 8d., while the minimum
still stands at 5s. 6d., a difference which is not calculated
to allay discontent.

“ But it seems that the Durham coalowners are not
satisfied even yet. Sir R. Romer has recently been
asked to interpret his award, and to say whether the
customary payment for wet and other difficulties have
to be continued. Without hesitation, the chairman
said these payments were distinct, and had to be given
in addition to the minimum. Now, the coalowners say
that this only applies to putters. Those of us who were
present say that the coalowners know quite well that
the putters’ case was only used as a test case for the
general question, and that the whole matter was
discussed on general lines, coal hewers’ and other cases
being used in common with putters during the
•discussion. Your representatives naturally concluded
that the members would receive these payments, and
yet, nearly two months afterwards, apart from putters,
no man has received a single penny.”

A special meeting of the Durham Miners’ Council was
held on Saturday to consider the three-shift system.
Saturday’s meeting empowered the executive committee
to open up negotiations with the coalowners with a view
to obtaining some modification of the system. The
result of the negotiations will be submitted to a ballot
•of the lodges.

The miners at Chopwell Colliery, near Newcastle-on-
Tyne, who had threatened to strike as a protest against
alleged unfair treatment under the Minimum Wage Act
and other grievances, have withdrawn their notices, the
Durham Miners’ Association having promised td take
up the matter on constitutional lines.

At a meeting at Middlesbrough, on the 23rd ult., of
the Cleveland mineowners and representatives of the
Cleveland Miners’ Association to consider the wages to
be paid the miners during the next three months, an
•offer of an advance of 4£ per cent, was made and
accepted.

The conference between the Northumberland coal-
owners and the miners’ representatives on the question
of the abolition of the three-shift system has been
fixed for May 27.

Representatives of the Cumberland coalowners and of
the Winding Enginemen’s and Boiler Firemen’s
Association, at a joint meeting at Workington, on
Wednesday afternoon, could come to no agreement
respecting the demand for an eight hours shift for
boiler firemen and engine men other than winders (who
already have an eight hours day), who work 12 hours
•consecutively, and the demand for the fixing of minimum
wage rates in several classes of work.

Federated Area.

Balloting is taking place this week at the collieries
coming within the Yorkshire Miners’ Association on the
•questions of non-unionist labour and the Parliamentary
representation levy.

A joint conference of representatives of Leicestershire
coalowners and miners, with Mr. F. J. Jones, chairman,
and Sir Thos. Ratcliffe-Ellis, coalowners’ secretary,
Mr. W. E. Harvey, M.P., vice-chairman, Mr. T. Ashton,
secretary of the English Conciliation Board, was held
at the Westminster Palace Hotel last week, with
reference to the advance of 5 per cent, on miners’ wages
to be paid on May 9 and 10, and the amount of the
basis wage of 1888 in Leicestershire. The representa-
tives of the coalowners and miners stated their case,
which will be considered and determined by the officers
of the Conciliation Board.

Trouble which threatened in connection with the
Bullcroft Main Colliery, one of the new pits near
Doncaster, over the price list appears to have been
smoothed over. The men wanted Is. 6d. per ton on all
the coal drawn, but the masters would not concede this,
and at a meeting on Saturday offered Is. 5d. per ton,
which price is not to include packing or gobbing. The
men had the option of accepting these terms or sub-
mitting to arbitration. Only three were against the
offer, whilst close upon 400 were in favour of it, so it
was accepted.

Certain grievances which are causing friction at some
•of the collieries in the county claimed the attention of
the council of the Notts Miners’ Association at their
monthly meeting on Saturday afternoon, April 26. The
non-unionist question at the Brierley Hill Colliery was
-considered, the men having, by a ballot vote, decided in

favour of handing in notices. The matter was referred
to Mr. C. Bunfield, the secretary. Non-unionists are
also causing trouble at Stapleford Colliery, and the men
employed thereat applied for permission to take a ballot.
The council in this case referred the matter to Mr. W.
Carter, the assistant secretary. The workmen at
Bentinck Colliery were given permission to take a
ballot vote with reference to handing in notices for the
purpose of obtaining due observance of an agreement
already entered into in regard to an adequate supply of
trams to stallmen. The lodges were requested to hold
meetings to consider this question and to send in their
decisions to the offices as soon as possible. Mr. J. G.
Hancock, M.P., the agent, submitted a proposed scale
of wages, which had been prepared by the officials, for
surface workers other than those who manipulate coal.
It was decided that the officials should seek an interview
with the owners to consider the proposed scale. The
agent also reported on the recent Conciliation Board
meeting, at which it was decided that wages should be
advanced 5 per cent., to be paid on May 9 or 10.

It has been decided to take a ballot of the men
employed at Messrs. R. Evans and Co.’s extensive
collieries in the Haydock and Golborne districts of
Southern Lancashire on the question of tendering
strike notices as a protest against the employment of
non-unionists.

Last week notices to cease contracts were tendered on
behalf of 2,000 men and youths employed at the Astley
and Tyldesley Coal Company’s pits in the Astley and
Tyldesley districts of South Lancashire. The grievance
relates to working conditions and the Lancashire
Miners’ Federation has sanctioned the withdrawing of
the men. Renewed efforts, however, are being made
to bring about a settlement.

A meeting of the joint board for Lancashire and
Cheshire was held on the 28th ult. at the Queen’s Hotel,
Manchester. Mr. Pilkington presided, and Mr. T.
Greenall occupied the vice-chair. It was formally
reported that Judge Mellor had accepted the chairman-
ship of the board in succession to the late Judge
Bradbury, and that his name had been sent by the joint
secretaries to the Board of Trade. It was officially
stated at the close of the meeting that various matters
had been discussed, and that the meeting had been
adjourned to next Monday.

A special meeting of the delegates of Old Hill and
District Miners’ Association was held at the Workers’
Institute, Cradley Heath, on Saturday, for the purpose
of considering the question of whether a strike should
be called in the Black Country area in order to induce
non-unionists to join the Federation. Reports were
presented from the various lodges in the district
showing that since the last meeting a fortnight ago
there had been a considerable addition to the strength
of the unionists, every lodge recording a large increase
in membership. It was roughly estimated that about
75 per cent, of the miners in the area belonged to the
union. After much discussion, it was decided further
to adjourn the meeting for a fortnight, in order to allow
the men another opportunity of joining the Federation.
The agent (Mr. S. Edwards) said the surfacemen were
also being organised, and there was some possibility of
the engine winders taking joint action with the colliers
upon the question.

A ballot taken at the Ackton Hall collieries on the
question, “Are you in favour of tendering 14 days’
notice to terminate your contract of service so as to
deal with the non-union question throughout the
country ? ” has resulted as follows:—In favour, 1,002 ;
against, 56.

There is a prospect of the dispute at Birch Coppice
Colliery, which affects between 1,500 and 2,000 men,
being amicably settled. The trouble has occurred over
the employment of non-union labour.

The South Derbyshire miners’ council on Wednesday
decided to compel all non-unionists in the area to join
the Miners’ Association.

Scotland.

A conference of the Scottish Miners’ Federation was
held on the 28th ult. in Glasgow, when the proposal to
form a new Scottish National Union of Miners to
embrace the various county associations was considered.
The proposal at present would allow of each of the
existing districts having local autonomy except in
questions of disputes. Strikes and lock-outs are pro-
posed to be dealt with solely by the central executive
of the new union, which will have power to make levies
for strike pay. It was agreed that the question should
be further considered at a special conference to be held
on 19th inst.

The Scottish Trade Unions Congress began its annual
sitting at Dumfries on Wednesday.

A largely attended meeting of Kilsyth and district
miners was held at Kilsyth recently to consider the

question of the safeguards and rescue apparatus laid
down in the Mines Act and the Home Office Orders.
It was stated that there was not a single ambulance
apparatus at any of the local collieries except one.
A resolution was unanimously passed demanding that
the coalowners put into operation the Order passed by
the Home Office, and it was decided to petition the
members of Parliament, the Home Office, and the
Miners’ Federation on the subject.

Miners’ Federation of Great Britain.

The executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great
Britain held a meeting at the Westminster Palace
Hotel, London, on the 25th ult. The committee had
before them the draft rules prepared by the Labour
Party for adoption by trade unions under the Trade
Union Act with reference to the raising of funds for
political action at Parliamentary and local elections.
Messrs. R. Smillie (president), W. Abraham, M.P.
(South Wales), W. E. Harvey, M.P. (vice-president),
Thomas Ashton (secretary), William Brace, M.P.,
Albert Stanley, M.P. (Cannock Chase), G. J. Hancock,
M.P. (Notts), and J. Wilson, M.P., were appointed a
committee to consider the draft rules and to co-operate
with the Labour Party and the Parliamentary Com-
mittee of the Trades Union Congress in the
adoption of rules which may be accepted by the
Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies. The executive
also considered a Bill to consolidate all existing Coal
Mines Act and the Minimum Wage Act of last year,
which has been introduced into Parliament by the Right
Hon. Thos. Burt and other private members. It was
agreed that all the members of the executive should be
supplied with copies of the Bill, so that it may be fully
considered at the next meeting of the executive. The
executive also further considered several of the proposed
amendments of the coalowners to the draft regulations
by the Home Office, with a view to deciding their action
at the adjourned meeting on May 21.

Iron, Steel, and Engineering Trades.

After an eight weeks’ dispute, the employees at
Messrs. Brown Bayley’s Works, Attercliffe, Sheffield,
have come to a satisfactory agreement with the
management of the works.

Fifteen hundred men are now out on strike at the
Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company at
Smethwick, and practically all the men in the iron-
works department are now out.

Five hundred employees of the Perfecta Seamless
Steel Tube and Conduit Company, Plume-street, Aston
are also on strike.

The British Steel Smelters’ Union have decided to
present the demand for a general eight-hour day
throughout the steel-smelting industry to the employers.
A joint meeting will probably be held. The union has
a membership of 18,500.

North Wales Permanent Relief Society.—The annual
general meeting of the North Wales Permanent Relief
Society was held at Wrexham, on the 28th ult., Mr. Godfrey
Fitz-Hugh, of Plaspower, presiding. The report of the
board of management stated that at the close of 1912 the
members numbered 3,652, a decrease on the year of
7,510. The revenue of the society for 1912 had
amounted to J>8,566, while the expenditure had been
.£9,892. The available balance at the close of the year
was .£19,528, compared with .£20 896 in 1911. The cases
of disablement coming on the fund during the year
numbered 1,420, compared with 2,120 in 1911. The disable-
ment pay had amounted to .£5,454. The Insurance Act, the
report stated, had had a most disastrous effect upon the
affairs of the society. When the Act came into operation
it was found that the contributions from the remaining
members were altogether inadequate to meet the expendi-
ture and that the accumulated funds would soon be
exhausted. The board of management consulted the
Registrar of Friendly Societies as to the position, particu-
larly as to the safeguarding of the position of the
present contributors and the protection of the interests
of the widows, children, and injured men at present
on the funds. After very careful consideration, the
board recommended the following course to the mem-
bers :—(1) That the present contributory members should
be immediately transferred to a new society to be
called the New North Wales Permanent Relief Society,
formed upon the same rules as the present society; (2)
that the present society continue to distribute its accumu-
lated funds to those entitled to relief until the funds are
exhausted ; (3) to arrange that the board of management
of the new society should administer the accumulated funds
of the old society. With this object in view, rules had
been submitted to the Registrar of Friendly Societies for
the formation and registration of a new society, as recom-
mended. The report of the board of management was
unanimously adopted, and there was a general expression
of hope that the new society would be a success.