THE HOURS AND WAGES OF MINERS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12444, 6 March 1906, Page 5

THE HOURS AND WAGES OF MINERS.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TB-10-AM.) WESTPORT, March 3. At the Westland Trades and Labour Council's Conference, it was decided that all Sunday work in or about a mine shall be paid for at the rate of double ordinary time, and that overtime be paid for at the rate of time and a-half. Several delegates declared, that they must go direct to the Legislature for this concession, as the Arbitration Court had ignored the men's demands by failing to make an award. It was resolved that the hours of labour, in coal mines should be not more than eight hours from surface to surface in any one shift. The question of the Granity Coal MinersUnion having entered into an industrial agreement with the Westport-Coal Company, under which the eight hours "bank to bank" clause was ignored, was discussed at considerable length. The Granity delegates, in explaining the action or their union, said that tho union at the time the agreement was entered into was under the' iriipression that the conditions under the agreement in reference to the hours of labour in .mines, were more favourable than these provided under the "bank to bank" clause. They had since found they were mistaken, and they wou.u now welcome tho opportunity of .working under tho clause. " ■'* '" •"