DOBSON DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 16

DOBSON DISPUTE.

SETTLEMENT ARRIVED AT. COMPANY'S CONDITIONS ACCEPTED. i After having been in- existence sinco October Ist, the dispute at the Grey Valley Collieries Company's mine at Dobsoa came to an end on Thursday, the men agreeing to return to work oa the company's conditions. The dispute arose when the company decided to stand off some of the men, and work ceased on October Ist. Mr C. C. Davis, chairman of directors of the Grey Valley Collieries, who wast advised late on Thursday night that thg dispute had ended, told a representative of Thb Pbbss yesterday that the company would use every endeavour to get the men started as soon as possible. "We are anxious," Mr Davis added, "to see some of the men, who. have been forced into the position of be, lag without work, back in work again as soon as possible. Of the 300 men who were originally in the company's employ about 180 will be reinstated, and work will be resumed as soon as the company has regained some of the orders it has lost as the result of the cessation of work. "It is difficult to say when we shall be able to restart the mine, as previous users of our coal naturally went elsewhere for their supplies when we closed down on October Ist. The men followed a very short-sighted policy, for they could have had just as good terms as they are getting now, without stopping the mine. Directly the continuity of orders is stopped a company loses touch with the trade and the men lose a considerable amount of wages. In our case, when the mine was working at capacity, we were paying between £SOOO and £6OOO a month in wafees. Por over two months the men lost this amount." t When the mine reopens only sufficient: men to man all points fully will be en-j gaged. The miners will be paid as: usual at a hewing rate, and the truckers, previously paid at an hourly will be paid at a truck rate. :