When was the Sliding Scale Strike, Mick? I know that the "Fed" (SWMF) was founded in 1898 and the song appears to have been sung in the states to the Mountain railway tune by 1900.

The 5-verse American version in the DT MINER'S LIFEGUARD is claimed to be "an 1890ish parody on Life is Like a Mountain Railway, ca. 1870"