COALFIELDS DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 173, 19 April 1937, Page 9

COALFIELDS DISPUTE

Vote in Great Britain (Received April 18, 5 pun.) Kugby, April 17. A vote has just been taken of all the coalfields of Great Britain on the question of strike action in connection with the local disputes which have been in progress for some time in Nottinghamshire. Whatever the result may be comment in the Press indicates that the danger of a national strike is considered remote. Two points are involved. It is thought that both arise out of the presence since 1926 of two rival unions in the area—one autonomous and the other affiliated to the Mineworkers’ Federation of Great Britain. After the strike last November at Harworth colliery the owners wished to make memberschip of the autonomous union a condition of re-employ-ment. This condition was later withdrawn, but the question of victimisation of the men involved in the Harworth strike remains in dispute. Meantime, through the good offices of the Mines Department, the leaders of the two unions had negotiated a basis of amalgamation, but the Mineworkers’ Federation executive later declared that it would proceed with the amalgamation scheme pending a settlement of the victimisation question, and decided to take a ballot of the whole country on the question of enforcing the principle of freedom of organisation. The company, on the other hand, which recognises the autonomous union, is prepared to negotiate the questions at issue if and when the amalgamation scheme is carried through.