A History of the Durham Miner's Association 1870-1904

by John Wilson

1902-1903

Hours of Datal Boys and Firemen—Bank Holiday—Mr Patterson's Statue—Ballot on Eight Hours—Coal Drawing after Loose—Agreement of 15th August—Surface Firemen's Wages

On Monday, the 27th of January, the Executive Committee met the Employers' Committee on six requests. Three of them were the hours of timber leaders and others, putters at datal work, and the hours of firemen at the week-ends. Those three were settled by the allowing agreement:—

It is hereby agreed between the Durham Coal Owners' Association and the Durham Miners' Association as follows:—

Putters at Datal Work.—That the hours of putters when sent to datal work shall be those applicable to the particular class of work which they are required to perform.

Firemen's Week-end Shifts.—That the hours of firemen employed at boilers attached to stationary colliery engines which work continuously between 6 A.M. on Saturday and 6 A.M. on Monday shall be eight per shift between these hours.

Timber and Water Leaders.—That the hours of the following classes of boys shall be in future eight per day—namely, timber leaders, stone putters and water leaders, and those boys who for a full shifter's shift may be working with shifters whose hours are eight. Those whose hours are reduced to suffer a proportionate reduction of wage.

This agreement to take effect with pays commencing the 3rd and 10th February 1902.

For the Durham Coal Owners' Association,

Reginald Guthrie,
Secretary.

For the Durham Miners' Association,
John Wilson.

The result of the settlement so far as it affects the young men will be seen by the following table, and it must be remembered that the total number of days reduced was for any one day, and not for a fortnight:—

Timber leaders	80
Water leaders	234
Stone putters	76
Number of putters at datal work on any given day	220
Other boys so engaged	220
	——
Total days reduced	830

These figures were taken from the Associated Collieries. There were a number of others, which would increase the total somewhat. It will be observed that the hours shortened did not in any way affect the coal-drawing time, and were indications of the willingness to meet the shortening of the hours if it were expedient to do so. It was in complete harmony with the general policy of the Association—self-effort even if the end were a little longer in being reached, and negotiation in preference to an appeal to the legislature. Further, the settlement proved that the inexpediency and difficulty of applying the eight hours a day was the only obstacle in the way of the Durham men, and not their unwillingness to shorten the working time, as was alleged by many outside the county.

THE BANK HOLIDAY

For some years there had been complaints from the employers in reference to the pits being laid idle on Bank Holidays, without any arrangement being made for the same. The logic of their position was incontrovertible. They stated it in the following manner:—

As Associations we have had business relations for over thirty years. We have in that time made many agreements, and have arranged tribunals for every class of difference, and yet you, one of the Associations, have deliberately set all that machinery to a side, have ruthlessly broken all precedents and procedure, and have for some years laid the pits idle, without even consulting the owners' side.

They then brought the subject before the Conciliation Board in August 1902, but while they were wishful to call in the umpire they agreed to defer it for three months. Their request was in the following form:—

The owners complain of the action of the workmen in laying collieries idle on August and December Bank Holidays, and ask that the Conciliation Board take this matter into consideration with a view of requiring the workmen to continue previously existing county arrangements until such are altered, either through negotiations between the Owners' and Workmen's Associations or by the Conciliation Board.

After being discussed it was decided that:

The claim of the owners, that this Board shall restrain the growing practice of laying pits idle on the August and December Bank Holidays, is to be considered and dealt with at the November meeting of the Board.

At that meeting the question was again brought forward; but it was thought desirable that the miners and the employers should have a chance of settling without a reference to the umpire, and for that purpose another adjournment took place, it being understood that if no arrangement were come to the reference should be made as soon as possible. The umpire was not called in until the 8th of July 1903. The hearing of the case took place in London in the Westminster Palace Hotel. On the 13th Lord Davey gave his award: "On the question referred to me at the meeting on July 8th I award that the workmen be allowed the August Bank Holiday, but go to work on the day after Christmas Day."

MR PATTERSON'S STATUE

The statue was unveiled on Saturday, 31st of January 1903, at two P.M. The ceremony consisted of a formal unveiling in front of the Hall, and a meeting in the Council Chamber immediately after. The Executive Committee, in a short circular sent out to inform the members of the event, said:

It will not be necessary to urge upon you to send a deputation to represent you, and thus show respect to a man who did as much as he could to establish our Association and to promote its usefulness. Don't let this be a mere ceremonial function, but let us show by our presence as much as by the statue we are placing in front of the Hall how we appreciate the labours of men like our departed friend.

There was a great response to the circular, and both the unveiling and the meeting inside were well attended. The ceremony was performed by the corresponding secretary (J. Wilson), who gave the address. The proceedings were presided over by Mr W. House, the president of the Association, and a number of speeches were delivered by representative men, and many who had been with him during the greater part of his life, and throughout the highest testimony was given to the good qualities and disinterestedness of Mr Patterson.

His would be a narrow mind who could say anything else. If true virtue consists of desire to do good, and he is only great who loves his fellow-men, then Patterson was truly great. And that was the standard by which the county judged him, and on that he carried their appreciation. It will be fitting to quote in connection with the unveiling a portion of the Monthly Circular written by one who had lived and worked with Mr Patterson and knew him.

But the most cheering part of the unveiling to me does not lie in the appreciation as expressed by the marble, but in the numbers who attended the ceremony and the feeling manifested during the whole of it. If it showed our respect for a colleague and friend, it reflected honour upon us because there was nothing of the cold and formal about it. The gathering was truly representative, and from first to last friendship was in the air and in every heart. There were very few lodges (if any) that were not represented, and in addition there were gentlemen who, although outside our ranks as Trades Unionists, came uninvited to pay a last tribute to a man who in life they had known and learned to respect, and warm were their words in reference to him.

THE EIGHT HOURS—SECOND BALLOT

This question assumed a new and more prominent shape at the annual Council meeting in 1903. It was decided "to seek for a living wage for all workers in and about the mines and for no man or lad to be more than eight hours from bank to bank in one day." It will be observed that the county had to seek, but it did not define by what means the object had to be sought. The Executive was in a strait between the legal eight hours and negotiation with the employers. They therefore resolved to take the opinion of the county by submitting the question to the ballot. On June 25th they issued the voting papers, accompanied by the following circular:—

Gentlemen,—It will be observed that the word "seek" is the word we invariably use when we send cases before the owners for negotiation. It would have been competent for the Executive Committee to have interpreted the new object in that light, and have looked upon it as being a point to aim at, rather than take it as absolute, and especially when you remember that, recognising the evils of a sudden introduction of a shortening of the hours from ten to eight hours, we have always been against the State regulation of hours, and by ballot before we have so decided. The Committee, however, think it will be best to submit the question to you to say whether we are to proceed by negotiation, or by an appeal to the State, and for that purpose the ballot papers have been drawn up, so that we may have a plain issue upon the two methods. There can be no mistake.

There are three things I would like to mention. First, let every full member (and no other) vote, as it affects all, and will affect all; second, I ask the lodge officials to let the ballot be such in nature more than name. Let it be as secret as possible; and third, let me urge upon you not to be led away by sentiment, but consider the effect it may have upon the position of every man, lest we may make things worse than they are. It will be too late to regret after. We had better weigh well the result before the step is taken.

J. Wilson.

June 25th, 1903.

The result of the ballot was as follows:—for Trades Union effort, 30,841; for State interference, 12,899; majority, 17,942.

There were 161 lodges voted. Some lodges refused to vote, expressing their opposition to any change in the hours, but some refused without assigning any reason. The vote, however, was very decisive, and reaffirmed the opposition to legal enactment in respect to the eight hours.

COAL-DRAWING AGREEMENT

The question of drawing coals after loose had been for some time in dispute between the two Associations. A number of meetings were held. In the discussion the employers claimed the right to draw coals, if it suited their convenience, at any time. This could not be granted. Then they asked for an arrangement which would allow them to draw coals if it were the custom prior to 1890, and in case of a break up to draw coals to make up the loss. If this were granted they would concede four of the requests the workmen were making. The Executive Committee was not willing to retrospect so far as 1890, but was willing to date back to 1900, and to allow the employers the opportunity for proper preparation for the pit starting the day after an accident, if it were long. This concession formed the basis of settlement, and the following agreement was made:—

It is this day agreed between the Durham Coal Owners' and the Durham Miners' Association as follows:—

1. That at all collieries where at the end of December 1900 it was customary for coals to be drawn at other times than the ordinary coal-drawing hours, such customs shall continue to the same extent.

2. That at all collieries the owners shall have the right of drawing after the 10 or 20 hours' coal drawing time, as the case may be, such of the coals standing in the shaft sidings as owing to accident it may be necessary to send to bank for any of the following purposes:—

(a) To enable stones to be drawn;

(b) To enable pit timber or other material to be got down and clear of the shaft sidings.

3. That at all collieries, in case of an accident or breakdown which is not remedied one hour before loose, such coals shall be drawn as may be necessary to prepare the pit for working the next shift, such preparations to mean drawing such a quantity of coal as will enable one empty set (or 45 tubs where endless rope haulage is employed) to be taken to each landing affected by the accident.

For the Durham Coal Owners' Association,
Reginald Guthrie.
For the Durham Miners' Association,
John Wilson.
John Johnson.

Three of the concessions on the part of the employers are contained in the following agreement:—

It is hereby agreed between the Durham Coal Owners' Association and the Durham Miners' Association as follows:—

Hand Putters' Basis Wage.—That the basis wage for hand putters when employed on datal work shall be 3s. 4d. per day.

Stone Putters' Short Shifts.—That stone putters when working with stonemen and shifters shall be allowed the same short shifts as those granted to the men with whom they are working.

Boys' Minimum Wage.—That the minimum basis wage of boys employed at bank shall be one shilling per day.

For the Durham Coal Owners' Association,
Reginald Guthrie.
For the Durham Miners' Association,
John Wilson.

BROKEN PRICE

There was a fourth question which was not put in the agreement because it was so complicated—viz. the fixing of a relative price between the whole and broken prices. The custom at some collieries had been to fix a whole and broken price for the seam, the definite figure being named of, say, 2d. per ton difference. In every case where a future broken started it was at the original price, no matter how much the whole prices might have increased. The effect was that there were men who might be working at 2s. or 2s. 6d. per ton on the Saturday, and through the area of goaf being taken out they would have a reduction of in some cases 1s. and 1s. 4d. per ton on Monday. It was always difficult to get a rectification at Joint Committee, and it was thought best to arrange a uniform or relative price between the whole and broken prices, so that, no matter how the prices in the former might alter, the relative difference would never vary. The arrangement removed a very great anomaly and grievance, it being left to the Joint Committee to decide.

SURFACE FIREMEN'S WAGES

This was a settlement made by the Conciliation Board. Some years prior, by an arbitration, it was decided "that the standard or basis average wage of firemen at bank working twelve hours per day is 3s. 3d. per day of twelve hours." The operation of that award was that before a man could claim the 3s. 3d. he must be working the full twelve hours per day; if not, the employer could claim a proportionate reduction. The arrangement made on November 6th, 1903, reduced the time to eleven hours for the 3s. 3d., those above that time receiving an advance of 3d. per day. By a return taken at the time the number of men and hours at the Associated Collieries was found to be as follows:—

12	hours per shift	506	men
11½	"	1	man
11	"	37	men
10½	"	78	"
10	"	38	"
8	"	3	"
		—
		563

Average hours per shift, 11.63; and the result, therefore, was an all-round increase of 3d. per day.