ABSTRACT
Price rises at the end of the 1880s and the formation of the MFGB gave miners both nationally and in the various districts a heightened sense of optimism and confidence. Increased membership and the presence of machinery for united industrial action across districts promised much greater leverage against owners. Within a few short years, however, the miners in the federated areas were threatened with a reduction of 25 per cent. In resisting they entered into a bitter dispute which in some areas lasted up to sixteen weeks. The government ultimately moved in to assist in breaking the stalemate, though not before troops had been sent into the coalfields and an incident had occurred in Yorkshire during which the authorities opened fire on a crowd, leaving several dead and injured.
