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have no truck with PHRASE
: to refuse to be involved with (someone or something)

In the early 19th century exploitation of workers took many forms. One was to pay workers in chit, money that could only be spent in company (tommy) stores. Unrest was inevitable and at Myrthyr in 1831 people united for the first time under the red flag to rise up and demand affordable bread and cheese (caws y bara). The siege that followed was eventually crushed but the events are a landmark in the story of the labour movement, trades unionism and improved right and conditions for workers.

lyrics

Now Nobby was a navvy boy, sweat was all he knew
Embankments, cuts, picks & shovels with him as he grew
But when it came to spend his pay at the end of the working day
The company knew how to get their way
Yeah, the company knew how to get their way

He said: all I want's a fair day's work for a fair day's pay
To spend my wages as I want, not as the gaffers say
Yeah, all I want's a fair day's graft. Is that so much to ask
I'll have no truck your work's corrupt, these ways lie in the past

You think we've left this all behind - you'd better think again
Rights fought long and hard for - blood, sweat, tears and pain
So working folk like us won't have to go through that again
I'll have no truck with that
I'll say to hell with that!
No. We'll have no truck with that!

They'll sell you all you need to work and it'll come from your own pay
Just like the miners candles, way back in the days
When you owed you soul to the tommy store so they would own you too
You had no choice, you had no voice. There was nothing you could do.

The year is 1831 and in the South Wales valleys practices like the Truck system, falling wages, rising prices and debt are bringing workers together to protest. "Caws y bara!" thousands cried as they marched, for the first time under the red flag. And in the siege that followed many hundreds would be injured or killed but one of the many seeds of trades unionism, socialism and justice were sown
They've got us over a barrel
But we won't take this lying down
Nobby and his mates have raised the red flag of revolt
There's no way back we'll lay siege to this town
Together we can stand on solid ground
Together we can built a better land
Together!

You think we've left this all behind - you'd better think again
Rights fought long and hard for - blood, sweat, tears and pain
So working folk like us won't have to go through that again
I'll have no truck with that

You think we've left this all behind - you'd better think again
Rights fought long and hard for - blood, sweat, tears and pain
So working folk like us won't have to go through that again
I'll have no truck with that
I say to hell with that!
I'll have no truck with that
No. We'll have no truck with that!

credits

from (Jack Of All Trades) Master Of None, released October 13, 2018
Featuring Joel Howe on bass & drums

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