North Staffordshire Miners' Federation
| Founded | 1869 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
Members | 16,709 (1910) |
Parent organization | Midland Miners' Federation |
The North Staffordshire Miners' Federation was a trade union representing miners in the area of Stoke-on-Trent, located in Staffordshire, in England.
The union was established in 1869 as an affiliate of the
Miners' National Association (MNA). The association sent William Brown, an experience organiser, to become the union's first agent and secretary. Brown was highly successful at recruitment, raising membership to more than 12,000 by 1871. The union also affiliated to the more radical Amalgamated Association of Miners, although Brown personally favoured avoiding industrial disputes.[1]
By 1874, the price of coal had fallen, along with miners' wages, and union membership. Brown faced criticism for not taking a cut in his own wages. Some lodges left the union, but Brown kept the majority together, reorientating it back towards the MNA.[1]
In 1886, the union was a founder constituent of the
National Union of Mineworkers, with far less autonomy than before.[2]
General Secretaries
- 1869: William Brown
- 1874: James Hand
- 1877: Enoch Edwards
- 1912: Samuel Finney
- 1930s: Frederick James Hancock
- 1941: Hugh Leese
References
- ^ a b Seifert, Roger (2006). "The Importance of Being Permanent: A Study of the North Staffordshire Miners' Federation from 1869 to 1874". Midland History. 31 (1): 67–90.
- ^ ISBN 0566021617.
- ^ Report on Trade Unions in 1905-1907. London: Board of Trade. 1909. pp. 82–101.