The Miners' Next Step facts for kids

The Miners' Next Step was an important pamphlet written in 1912. It was a call for coal miners to change how their unions worked. The pamphlet encouraged miners to use a new way of organizing called syndicalism. This idea meant that workers should have more control over their jobs and industries.

The pamphlet was created by a group called the 'Unofficial Reform Committee'. This group included people who believed in syndicalism and socialism. They were also involved in the Plebs' League and a big miners' strike that happened from 1910 to 1911. Most people agree that Noah Ablett was the main writer of this pamphlet.

Why the Pamphlet Was Written

Noah Ablett learned about syndicalism when he was studying at Ruskin College. He also helped start the Plebs' League, which was a group that wanted to educate working people.

When Ablett went back to his home in Rhondda, he met other people who thought like him. These included William Mainwaring, Noah Rees, Will Hay, and A.J. Cook.

A big event happened in 1911 called the Cambrian Combine dispute. This strike ended with some trouble known as the Tonypandy Riot. After this, many miners felt angry with the government. The Home Secretary at the time, Winston Churchill, sent the British Army to stop the workers' protests. This made people feel that the government was not on their side.

What the Pamphlet Said

The Miners' Next Step strongly criticized the way some union leaders were working. For example, it disagreed with leaders like William "Mabon" Abraham. He was seen as being too friendly with the coal mine owners during arguments, such as the Welsh coal strike of 1898.

The pamphlet suggested several key ideas for the miners:

• Decentralization for Negotiating: This meant that local groups of miners (called lodges) should have more power to talk about their own issues.
• Centralization for Fighting: But when it came to big fights or strikes, all the lodges should work together as one strong group.
• The Irritation Strike: This was a new tactic where workers would cause small, ongoing problems for the mine owners, rather than one big strike.
• Joint Action by Lodges: All the local miner groups should act together.
• Unifying Demands: Miners should agree on the same goals to make their voices stronger.
• Eliminating the Employer: The pamphlet wanted workers to eventually run the mines themselves, without bosses.
• Against Nationalization: It was against the government owning the mines.
• Industrial Democracy: This meant workers should have direct control over their workplaces.

The pamphlet also listed specific things the miners wanted:

• A minimum wage, which is the lowest amount of money a worker can be paid.
• A seven-hour working day, making the workday shorter.
• Unions to be controlled directly by their members, not just by a few leaders.
• More use of strike action when needed.

The pamphlet did not want the government to take over the mines (called nationalization). It argued that even if the government owned the mines, they might still treat workers unfairly. Instead, it called for workers to have direct control. This would happen by electing their own managers.

The pamphlet also talked about how power can change people. It said that "All leaders become corrupt, in spite of their own good intentions." This meant that as leaders gain more power, they might start to act against the wishes of the workers. The pamphlet believed that if workers had more power, it would make leaders less important. This would stop leaders from trying to keep all the power for themselves.