So "If ye were waukin I wad wait/ Tae gang tae the coals in the mornin" means the singer is a collier ready to fight and beat Cope before going to work?

I don't doubt the "coals" reference, but I'm still a little confused.

"If ye *were* waukin" must mean that Cope is presumably *not* awake. So singer is going to work as usual, assuming there will be no battle?