MINE STOPPAGES IN WAR TIME

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23132, 23 September 1940, Page 6

MINE STOPPAGES IN WAR TIME

Seriousness Stressed

VIEW OF NATIONAL DISPUTES

COMMITTEE

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

WELLINGTON, September 21

The seriousness 5 of stoppages of work in coal mines in war time is stressed in the unanimous decision of the National Disputes Committee in the Mac Donald mine wet-time dispute in the Waikato. The claim over which the dispute arose was for wet-time payment to William Nuttall on one day in August, and the committee’s decision is that the wet-time amount provided in the agreement be paid to him for this day.

The committee emphasises that this decision is not to be interpreted as a ruling that this job is to be considered a wet-time iob on day when it is raining. The committee considers that the dispute should have been capable of settlement by the local disputes committee at Huntly. Continuing, the decision states that there was, however, a very much more serious aspect of the case than the actual dispute. The Mac Donald mine was stopped and idle for three days, and after work had been resumed and the disputes committee had failed to reach an agreement work was again stopped on a trivial pretext. The mine was idle for six days and the Glen Afton mine for two days without any justification whatever. Output Loss of 6000 Tons The loss of output was approximately 6000 tons and the loss of wages not less than £2OOO. “Even in ordinary times the action of those responsible for bringing about such a stoppage of work would be highly reprehensible, but these are not ordinary times,” the decision continues. “It is almost a platitude to say that this country is engaged in fighting for everything which is of value to its people. The Government directly, and also through the Coal Mines Council, has repeatedly appealed to .the Waikato miners to prevent all unnecessary stoppages of work and to give their very best in Hie way of production because coal has been in short supply and has been most urgently required. “Under these circumstances, then, the action of those responsible for failing to settle this dispute as reasonable men and for bringing about this stoppage of work cannot be too strongly condemned. “This committee again urges upon all parties to the Waikato District Agreement that they will deal with disputes which may arise from time to time at any of the mines strictly in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and that until the machinery provided in the agreement has been used to the full no stoppage of work shall occur. We desire also to point out that the rules of the Mine Workers’ National Organisation require reference of any dispute to the National Executive Council before a stoppage of work occurs. If that rule be observed in future we feel that the Miners’ National Council and the executive of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association will be able to find a way of settling any dispute promptly and without loss to the miners, the mine owners, and the general public. “It is in the interests of all parties that disputes be settled promptly and reasonably, and that matters which are relatively unimportant should not be aggravated in such a way as to create hostile feelings unnecessarily. Any persons who are not prepared to deal with disputes in this reasonable way are endangering the welfare of the whole mining community.”