WALLSEND MINE IDLE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28573, 30 April 1958, Page 7

WALLSEND MINE IDLE

Management And Union Dispute (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, April 29. Because of a dispute between the management of the Wallsend State Mine ana the workers’ union, no work was done by the back rhift on Monday night, nor by the day shift today. A statement issued by the secretary of the Brunner Miners’ Union (Mr F. W. J. Munden) said the men presented themselves at the pit top four minutes alter the normal starting time on Monday, and were told that there was no work. Mr Munden contends that the action of the mine manager (Mr D. Buist), in blowing the “no work” whistle was contrary to the previous practice at the colliery. The men did not want to cause loss of production and wages, said the statement. day shift workers had held a conference with those going on back shift for the purpose of hearing a. report on the Mines department’s intentions as they affected the future economic security of v. filsend workmen, and to obtain volunteers for vacanci s w. 'h existed at the Liverpool mine. Immediately after the end of the meeting, union officials approached the mine, manager with a request that the back shift should be allowed to start, but he refused to consider the matter. The statement said that union members were entitled to two hours a month to hold stop-work meetings, as well as extra time to consider communications from the Mines Department. Some two years ago, the management requested that the union hold stopwork meetings between shifts. This the union agreed to do, and this state of affairs had existed up to the present