Volume Three - The Pontoon Era - The seamen's pay strike of 1911 . . .

Other unions came out in support of the seamen but one, the Coaltrimmers Union, is very worthy of note since it was the only strike to be called in their entire history.

The Cardiff and Penarth Coaltrimmers Protection and Benefit Association had been formed in 1888 and upheld the rights of the hard working men who trimmed the coal as it was being loaded into the holds of ships. An extremely important function, since, if undertaken incorrectly could destabilise a ship in heavy seas. The benefits of the trimming being undertaken correctly was of benefit to the ship's crew and well as those who had a vested interest in the safe passage and delivery of the coal to the destination port.

Coaltrimmers were, however, controlled by the coal shippers who charged the ship owners a fee, in the form of a coal levy, or tariff for trimming the coal by the ton. Ship owners either paid up or the ship wasn't loaded!

By 1890 a 'Trimming Board' had been formed to set the rates. Representations were made at meetings by the now named, Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Coaltrimmers' Union, the coal shippers and ship owners and the 'Board' resolved disputes and negotiated on behalf of any party which felt it was being given a raw deal. The method was so effective that there was only one strike by the trimmers called out of sympathy with the seamen in 1911. Left - the logo of the Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Coaltrimmers' Union [229]

In 1897, the union became affiliated with the Cardiff Trades Council and in the same year, the TUC (Trades Union Congress) which, of course, is still functioning today, alas, by 1970, the Coaltrimmers Union, was consigned to the history books. See more about the Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Coaltrimmers' Union in Volume 8, Chapter 14.