Colliers and Salters (Scotland) Act 1775 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Citation | 15 Geo. 3. c. 28 |
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| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1871 |
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Status: Repealed
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The Colliers and Salters (Scotland) Act 1775 was an important law passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in 1775. This law aimed to change the very difficult working conditions for miners and salt workers in Scotland.
Why This Law Was Needed
Back in 1606, an older Scottish law had forced coal miners, coal carriers, and salt workers into a type of permanent service to their employers. This meant they were tied to their jobs and could not leave. If a worker tried to leave and find work elsewhere, they could be treated like a thief. This old law also allowed people who were homeless or wandering (called vagabonds) to be forced into this work against their will.
A famous writer named Erskine May said that these workers were treated as a "distinct class." This means they did not have the same freedoms as other people in the country.
The 1775 law said that Scottish coal workers were in "a state of slavery or bondage." The government wanted to fix this problem. The main goal of the new law was to stop new workers from being forced into this lifelong service. This would help the mining and salt industries grow.
Even though the law called this situation "a reproach of allowing such a State of Servitude to exist in a Free Country," it did not want to harm the current employers. So, the law only slowly allowed workers who were already in service to become free. They could gain their freedom after working for seven or ten more years, depending on their age. The law also added two extra years if a miner worked with others to demand better conditions.
What Happened Next
Erskine May explained that these workers were often poor and owed money to their employers. Because of this, they usually could not claim their freedom easily. So, the conditions for freedom in the 1775 law did not work very well.
It took another law, the Colliers (Scotland) Act 1799, to finally free the remaining miners from the old 1606 rules. This later law also added new rules against workers organizing together.
