Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 25 January 1941

Colliery Cases

Hickleton and Denaby Main Claim Damages

Damages claims for breach of contract against 77 men employed at the Hickleton Main and Denaby Main Collieries, were among a larger number brought by Doncaster Amalgamated Collieries. Ltd., at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Friday.

Some of the cases were settled out of court. Others were heard by the magistrates.

With regard to the Hickleton case. Mr. A. S. Furniss, prosecuting, said proceedings were started against 59 men, but 54 men had agreed to pay damages. The other five were discussing the matter with the management. On December 23rd at Hickleton Main Colliery, Mr. Furniss said, there were tubs of coal left in a district of the pit at the end of the day shift, and five extra men were sent to help to fill this coal into the tubs. The regular men in the place objected, however, and refused to work. Some of the men referred to the undermanager as “that little dictator,” and there was a lot of shouting and discussion.

For the defence, it was argued that the defendants objected, and thought they had a perfect right to object to filling coal which should have been filled by other men.

One defendant said he thought he would be robbing the other men. The magistrates fixed the damages at £4 against one man, £3 against two, and £2 against the other.

Denaby Case.

With regard to the Company’s claims of 5s. damages each against 18 men at Denaby Main Colliery, Mr. Furniss, appearing for the Amalgamated Denaby Collieries. Ltd., said the defendants were employed on the screens, and on December 31st they booked on for work, stayed a short time and then asked if they would be guaranteed a full shift’s work. They were not given a guarantee and they refused to work. The pit was idle in consequence.

For the defence, Mr. E. Watson, barrister, said the issue was whether the men were justified in refusing to work without a guarantee. They alleged that on many occasions they had worked for an hour or a quarter of a shift and been sent home, and were not paid.

Mr. Furniss said that he had a list of such stoppages, and he had evidence that the men had always been paid for a portion of the shift.

The Chairman (Mr. M. L. Nokes), said the men had no right to demand such a guarantee. He knew all about incidents of that kind, which happened at every pit. He suggested that the defendants should pay the costs of the summonses, 4s. each, and leave the whole question to be settled by negotiation.

Mr. Furniss and Mr. Watson agreed.

Mr. Furniss mentioned that Doncaster Amalgamates Collieries. Ltd. had also issued summonses against 102 men at Hickleton Main, Brodsworth Main, and Markham Main collieries. With regard to the claims against the 59 men at Hickleton, 54 had agreed to pay the damages and had signed an agreement to that effect.