MINERS' GRIEVANCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 257, 23 July 1908, Page 6

MINERS' GRIEVANCES.

TROUBLE IN OTACO, QUESTION OF WAGES AND TRUCKING, (BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Dunedin, July 22. In tho oveut of tho mine owners refusing to confer with the miners in regard to the hitters' grievances, it is said over 400 miner/ in the Otago district, will bo prepared tfstrike immediately. (I)V TIII.EGUAI'n.—SI'ECIAI, .CORRESPONDENT.) Dunotiin, July 22. Mr. A. Forbes, tho general secretary of tho Otago Coal Miners' Union, interviewed by a "Star" representative this morning, explained. the grievances of tho miners and fclio gravity of the - position. "The Green Island branch of the Otago Union," said Mr. Forbes, "held a meeting last night to discuss tho attitude taken up by tho Arbitration Court in refusing to hear tho case cited by tho Green Island branch, and directing them to hold more conferences with tho employers interested. The meeting was a gigantic one, and the president of the branch (Mr. A. Love) presided. The men have the. impression that tho Courts da not want to hear the case this season. The employers don't want 'mo at the conferences. I told the men that I was willing not to attend as I did not want to create trouble of any description. The men said that if tho employers would not hold a conference with mo present tho men would not hold a conference at all. . They have no objection to the employers' representative (Mr. W. Scott) being present, but in the event of Mr. Scott not being able to attend the conference should s;o on without him immediately. Tho men unanimously resolved that Messrs. Weston, Forbes, Smith, Love, and Hallows meet the Green Island mineoivners ou Saturday next, or, failing that day, not later than Monday. Mr. Scott informed me to-day that ho was trying tc arrango a meeting of the owners this after l noon with a view of tho confer* en'ce. It was also decided that if the com' pany refuse to meet tho miners' represen* tatives in conference -there will be no more work in the Green Island district until such time as the conference is held."

You moan to strike, then? "Call it a striko if you like. Tho men have tiio support of all tho coal miners in tho Otago. Uniai. I received a wire from tho Fortification branch this morning to tho effect that if this caso is not heard at tlia present sitting of the Arbitration Court, down go their tools. Kait'angata, Taratu, and Allandalo men arc.of the samo opinion. Mr. Weston (district president)' proceeds to Allandalo this aftornoou to place the_ matter before the branch, and sec if it is not possible to come to terms. lam gouif to'communicate with tho other branches' requesting them not to take any drastic, action at tho present, time." What are the . grievances of the men.' "They want the present trucking system abolished in Kaitaugata, Taratu, and Jjorti-' fication mines. The companies do tho trucking; they pay the truckers. They want tho men to take • over the trucking, ana the men have decidcd not to do so. The men also want the shift wage increased. ' In Green. Island the shift wage is 9s. 6d. per dav; in iiaitangata, Allanaale, and lortincation 10s. per day, and 10s. 6d. in Taratu. I believo that the* wage was fixed at. 9s. bd. in Green Island .because tho men .were near tho town and cheaper markets a poor reason Tho tnickers also want an increase of wages. They get Ss. a day if they are over nineteen years of ago, and tho truckers also want some measure or agreement introduced ill an award- whereby truckers will have tho preference of going on hewing coal. At tho present time truckers cau't go on the coal without tho consent of the manager, and as a rule tho manager refuses to allow truckers to go hewing. Further, oven if the men, decided to do their own trucking, that is pay for it, the truckers will not work. Auothej real grievaiico. is tho present system of p&J'" ing. the miners by measurement. It is_ a most unsatisfactory method, and tho men insist on having their, coal weighed' and be-ing-paid by weight.", 'i, What if the mine owners closed down the mines for six, months as it has been ■ rumoured P / ... "The threat to close the mines carries no weight with tho miners whatever. If some of the mines wcro closed down for less than six months tlioy would never bo opened again." _ ■ Tho Arbitration Court will be asked to« morrow to fix a date on which to hear tho Greon Island case. . . .