The South Wales Strike Threat The dangerous situation that has
arisen in South Wales in the past week has been eased at the last moment by the decision of the Nine Mile Point Colliery owners to close the pits " indefinitely," which means that they will no longer be employing non-federation labour, and of the Miners' Federation to call their members who had gone on strike in the pits to the surface and to abandon the idea of a strike throughout the coalfield. The dispute raises an old and vexed issue. There is profound discontent throughout the whole area arising from prolonged unemployment and the miserable wages of those who are employed. This discontent has been fanned by the readiness of some employers to exploit unemployment and collect men for work who are not members of the Miners' Federation: This does not'justify the illegal action of the men who insisted on remaining below, nor does it relieve the Union of the responsibility of disciplining its members. But the South Wales dispute is likely to be merged now in the problem arising out of the demand for a national increase in wages. That larger issue may develop into serious trouble in view of the economic condition of the industry.
Previous page
