The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-01-16
My Trade Union
At War
By WILL LAWTHER,
President, Mineworkers Federation
of Great Britain

In the years before the War, no
single Trade Union had more concrete
evidence than the Miners Federation
of Great Britain Of the ravages that
Nazism had wrought among our fell
low miners in the Continent Of
Europe.
We had watched this foul menace
destroying the miners unions of Ger
many, Austria, the Saar, Czecho-
Slovakia, and then Holland, Luxem-
burg, Belgium and France. We had
done all we could to give these fell
low workers succour and support. At
every opportunity we urged that
stand should be taken against the
aggressors.
What could we do but give our full
support to the supreme effort that
Britain was called upon to make to
overthrow the rule of gangsterdom
We have made our choice and we will
pursue it to the end.
No other industry makes a more es-
sential contribution to the efficiency
of the armament industries than coal
mining. Therefore, we set out to have
would ensure the nation having all the
coal it needed from the very begin
ming of hostilities.
In order to ensure that our men,
bers would be at no loss, we sought
and secured national wage agree
ment based on the Board of Trade
cost Of living figures. This operated
independently of the various wage
agreements operating in every part of
the coalfelds, which were not inter-
fered with.
A National Coal Production Coun-
Gil was set up with representatives in
every district. At every colliery there
is coal production council in which
every phase Of every problem is ham,
mered out.
TO Free Their Comrades
The miners view the War as a
campaign for the liberation Of their
fellow miners who have been over
whelmed by an explosion. With their
unfailing generosity, they have made
their contribution to the national eff
fort.
They have subscribed to provide the
British Ambulance Corps with 20
ambulances costing 10000. Loans
free of Interest, have been made to
the extent of approximately &500,00O
Spitfre funds have been started to
help build up the Royal Air Force, and
practically every miner is contributing
penny a week to the Red Gross
Fund. In every colliery, too, there are
funds for helping our own members
serving with the Armed Forces. Nc
effort is too great to make for the
overthrow of the dictators.
At this moment the export Goa
areas are faced with a new war prob.
= lem, arising from the collapse OF
France and the conquest of the Low
Countries. These were our chief ex.
port markets.
But we are fortunate in having as
Minister of Mines one Of our owr
members, D. r. Grenfell, M. P. 1t has
made difficult position easier tc
face because a man is in charge who
knows the miner and his life, not
visits to pits, but from practical ex,
perience.
Dai Grenfell and Ernest Bevin
Minister of Labour, have done every
thing possible to help the miners.
Never has the administrative ma
chine been in such close contact will
the Trade Union as at this moment
Both the miners and the coal own
ers are cooperating under a scheme
initiated by Dai Grenfell, to have the
pits that are now closely ready t.
swing into action again the momen
they are required.
Conditions Safeguarded
The war has brought no threat t.
the miners hours of labor or thei
safety conditions Our members, to
gether with their fellows in other in
dustries, have benefited by the in
creases in compensation payments ant
social services that have been intro
duced as some Offset for the sacri
fees entailed in the war effort.
The Miners Welfare Organization
which, since its establishment in 1920
has spent f2O,O00,OC0 in providing
for the comfort, health, recreation
and educational facilities of member
and their families carries on it's work
The Miners Federation of Grea
Britain is the largest Trade Union il
the World. 1t has fought many bat
ties for it's members, and it realize
that this battle must and will be won
We are in it as free men, of our owl
volition, because we know it means
life or death for US.