Geevor

Tin Mine Museum

2009

Trade Unions at Geevor

By the end of the 19th century, trade unionism was well established in Britain. In coal mines, unionism was at its strongest. Tin mining however did not favour the growth of the same sort of unionism. The traditional way in which miners were paid in the 19th century was under the Tribute System. This meant that miners producing ore from the lodes were independent sub-contractors who worked for a percentage of the value of the ore that was produced. Each pare or working group was thus in competition with other pares at the monthly letting of the contracts for the areas to be worked. Unlike the coalminers, tin miners were not a huge single workforce with common interests that they could seek to improve. The other workers on Cornish mines earned far less than the tributers. In 1887 the Government appointed a Select Committee to look at some aspects of tin mining. It was reported that: a few of the younger men were in favour of the union though none were willing to sacrifice themselves by being the first to join, while fewer were still would ever have consented to subscribe from their already small earnings 1 The fact that by the later 19th century many Cornish miners would frequently travel the world to use their mining skills, rather than working in one place for the majority of their career, probably also made the development of large scale unionism less likely in Cornwall. However, there were times when industrial action took place even though the tin miners were not in unions: this was particularly evident in 1873, when a major recession caused by the imports of Australian ore took place. Miners went on strike, and a large number marched through Redruth with shouts and acclamations2 when the daily pay for surface labourers was cut from 2s. 10d. to 2s 6d. [2s. = 10p]. At Boscaswell Downs mine in Pendeen later to form part of Geevor a serious strike took place in March 1873, and miners reportedly rioted when wages were not paid. Cornish miners were never members of the National Union of Miners [NUM] which was dominant in coal mining. In the years of depression following the end of the First World War by which time many Cornish tin mines had closed- there was some friction between coalminers in the north of England and in Wales and Cornish miners looking for work. Relations between management and workers at Geevor remained good: in January 1921 tin prices fell sharply, and miners offered to take a cut in wages. The mine laid off most of the workforce for six months. Geevor was closed by the General Strike from 7th May to 4th June 1926: the worsening industrial climate was made worse by poor grades of ore being produced, resulting in the company making a loss of 5051 7s. 11d. during the year.3

Geevor
Tin Mine Museum

2009

By the 1930s many mineworkers in Cornwall were members of the Transport & General Workers Union. Some mines remained relatively prosperous all through the 1930s, especially Geevor and South Crofty, despite falling tin prices. In October 1930 there were lay offs of underground workers: the General Manager and principal members of his staff reduced their remuneration. The mine reopened for production in January 1932 and was profiting from increased tin prices by 1934. A four week strike took place in 1936 when union members tried to enforce 100% union membership at Geevor: it was not successful. The management had decided that there was advantage in conciliation: a weeks paid holiday was given to all staff in August. A further 5 day strike took place in September 1936 over contract rates: although the old tribute system had long gone, the best paid underground workers still worked on contract, a system that was in use until the final closure of the mine. Examples of their pay sheets showing the stoppages of money for explosives and fuses can be seen on site. Labour shortages during the war [1939-45] and the postwar period kept wage levels relatively high: as late as 1957 Geevor was still recruiting Italian mineworkers. In modern times the majority of Geevor workers were members of the Transport and General Workers Union, with other craft unions - the AEWU [engineers], EETPU [electricians] and UCATT [construction workers] covering specific trades. The unions played a leading rle in the struggle to save Geevor following the collapse of tin prices in autumn 1985. This story is told in the documents and artefacts on display in the Union Hut at Geevor.
1 Quoted in A. K. Hamilton Jenkin, The Cornish Miner 1927 2 D. B. Barton, A History of Tin Mining and Smelting in Cornwall 1965 3 Cyril Noall, Geevor 1983