ᵻlˈɛktᵻd tə ðɪ ɛɡzˈɛkjuːtˌɪv kəmˈɪɾi ʌvðɪ ˌɛsdˌʌbəljˌuːˌɛmˈɛf ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɪks, hiː plˈeɪd ɐ lˈiːdɪŋ ɹˈoʊl ɪnðə tˈɛnmˈʌnθlˈɔŋ kˈʌntɹɪwˌaɪd lˈɑːkaʊt ʌv kˈoʊlmɪnɚz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɪks, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl stɹˈaɪk.
Elected to the executive committee of the SWMF in 1926, he played a leading role in the ten-month-long countrywide lockout of coalminers in 1926, following the General Strike.