Mexborough and Swinton Times November 25, 1939

Colliery Dispute

A dispute over what is known as “walking time” caused a 36 hours’ stoppage at Houghton Main Colliery last week-end. Alleging that they were no allowed sufficient time to walk from their work in the Melton Field seam to the pit bottom at the close of the shift, the boys struck work, throwing the whole pit idle.

Representatives of the Houghton Main branch of the Yorkshire Mineworkers’ Association visited the mine to make investigations, taking a boy with them. It is understood that at a subsequent branch meeting the branch officials informed the boys that there had been no breach of custom and advised them to return to work.

Work was resumed almost immediately, and branch officials informed a “Times” reporter that for 20 years there had been a rule at Houghton Main allowing 25 minutes for every mile that had to be walked underground.