RECOGNITION OF UNIONS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22142, 12 July 1937, Page 12

RECOGNITION OF UNIONS

Heritage of Labour i | Troubles STATUS OF WORKERS AT TWO MINES Industrial troubles during the degression years on the West Coast have an unexpected sequel now. Putting into practice the principle of compulse - unionism throughout the West Coast has "iven trades and labour councils a difficult problem; several strikes which occurred in mines some :;ix or seven years ago were never settled, and a fresh set of workmen in some cases replaced entirely members of a previous union which had had a dispute with the management.

The problem now before the leaders of central labour organisations is the amount of recognition that should be given unions in mines in which disputes occurred in the past. Two cases —one concerning the udjU status of the employees at a quartz mine and the other the claim for union membership of a large colliery—were discussed last week by the central organisation in Greymouth, and it is known that a decision was made that the em-

• 1 jyees at each place of work should not be recognised as belonging to a recognised union. The mines mentioned are the Burke's Creek colliery and the Alexander mine, both of whk employ a good number of men. The effect of the decision on the future of the men employed at both mines is not known, but it is not expected that any drastic action will be taken. One new union which has been accepted is that of employees, working on wages, for shareholders in cooperative mines. When there are only a few shareholders in a mine it is not unusual for wages men to be employed. Their union is separate from that which their employers have formed—the co-operative workers' union—and the two unions will meet on opposite sides of the table in Greymouth to-day at a Conciliation Council sitting.