Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Coaltrimmers' Union . . .

This was the era of change for dock-workers and strikes throughout Britain during 1889 involved over 1,200 stoppages with the loss of 3.7 million working days. This was the environment into which the Cardiff Coal Trimmers' Association was born at the Great Western Coffee Tavern, Cardiff during April 1888. The spark was the persistent infringement by the employers of a tariff agreement dating back to 1879. They enrolled the support of other coal trimmers at Penarth and Barry and enforced the closed shop rule.

One factor often overlooked is that by 1885 (at Penarth anyway) sail was overtaken by steamships and a gradual change in the manner of loading coal into ships occurred. Some examples include more holds per ship, bunkers to fill, increased automation at the coal tips through upgrading and replacement appliances and the use of pumped water in lieu of solid ballast. Time, tide and turnaround became critical elements. There became less work for the coal trimming fraternity toward the turn of the century and many became tippers, became disabled, or simply died as a result of long-term dust inhalation!

Throughout South Wales many new associations and unions were formed; the neglected wives of Cardiff even got in on the act by proposing the formation of the Amalgamated Society for Distressed Wives with the objective of protecting wives from the beatings inflicted by their drunken husbands; It seems, however, that this society was a little ahead of its time!

As previously stated in Volume Three - 'The Seamen's Pay Strike of 1911':- 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.