MT. ISA STRIKE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30677, 17 February 1965, Page 17

MT. ISA STRIKE

Chaos Brought By Group (N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) BRISBANE, Feb. 16. A small but highly organised and fanatical group has brought about a state of fear and chaos at Mount Isa, the chairman of Mount Isa Mines, Ltd. (Mr G. R. Fisher), said in a special report to shareholders.

Mr Fisher said repeated recommendations by the Queensland senior Industrial Commissioner (Mr H. J. Harvey) that the men should return to work had been rejected.

“Orders by the Queensland Industrial Commission restraining the union and miners from being a party to a ban on contract work and by the Government to accept contract work were defied,” he said. Dispute’s Tragedy

He said the tragedy of the dispute was that the great majority of employees were decent, law-abiding and efficient workmen, many with wives and young families, who had staked “their all” in Mount Isa. Mr Fisher said the company's total commitment for bonus and prosperity loading of £2.3m a year approximated the annual dividend to stockholders over the last four years.

Conditions of employment at Mount Isa equalled any in Australia.

The employees’ share in the company’s prosperity was revealed by the fact that, during the last five years they had received bonuses of f 8 a week. These totalled £416 a year for each employee above the scheduled wage rates. Share Increased With the decision of the Queensland Industrial Commission, on December 24, 1964, to add a prosperity loading the employees’ share had been increased to £1 a week, or £572 a year above normal wages. Minimum adult wage earnings at Mount Isa were now £29 14s 4d for a 40-<hour week. The contract miner’s average earnings were more than £5O for a 40-hour week, while some earned £6O a week. In spite of high wages, participation in company earnings, generous superannuation and other benefits and provisions for community services and amenities, the company had been presented with demands which no responsible board of directors would accept.