THE HUNTLY MINERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1611, 30 November 1912, Page 6

THE HUNTLY MINERS.

NEW UNION,

AGREEMENT WITH THE COMPANY. ITS HAIN PROVISIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, November 29. After a conference extending over.' three days,between representatives of tlio Taupiri Coal Co. and of the recently-formed Miners' Union, a full agreement-as to wages and conditions of employment was arrived at between the parties concerned. This agreement .will be registered undei the Conciliation' and Arbitration Act, and will .'be duly filed in the Supreme Court. Terms and conditions arranged will come into operation on November 30, 1912, and will.reniain. in force until November 30, 1915.:';'.', The agreement which has been arrived at provides for an increase in wages/of 2d.- per ton on the output, which, on an average of 35 tons per week,, means an increase of Gs. per.week per man.' The agreement, provides that, fiiture employees shall join the union within one week of their employment by the company, and further, that the company may. at any time, on application of the union, 1 . consider the advisability of dismissing any employee who refui'«s> to join the union after being given fourteen days' notice to do so. , ' . At the present-time there are between 500 and GOO men oinployod about the mines at -Huntly. Of these, over 100. are on the roll-of ;thoi union recently formed, under the"auspices, of ihfej Arbitration Court. The provisions 'of tho new agreement.' apply only to members' of the new.union. ■It *is estimated that, the increases of ■wages .at'2d.- 'per toii.will average, out at- an increase of . from 9s. to 12s. per. •week per man. There lias been an increafo of from Gd., to. Is. per .day in day wages, and working time has been decreased by an hour oh alternate Saturdays. The-preference clause provides that all employees engaged in the future shall become'- members 'of the ' union ' within seven days -of tli9 • time of their engagement. . It. also provides that at any time the company may; when-requested to do so by the .. union, .' dismiss; an employee who refuses to join the-union after, having been given' fourteen days' notice to do 60.' '/:■ ' . ' . \ A most important clause is that-which relates to the preference of employment wTi'ich reads as follows:— (a) The Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., shall recognise the Huntly Coal Mine Employees' Industrial Union of Workers, registered under the',- Conciliation and Arbitration. Act, " the. said union : covenants: that' 1 it will .- not during-'-the continuance of . this- agreement take .any-steps, to'make any_ application for the purpose -of cancelling its registration '-, thereunder. The provisions of . this; .agreement, shall apply only . to members, of the union, : and the secretary of the iinion' shallwhen; requested by tlio mine manager.supply a list of members of the union.. If the company hereafter .engages any worker who is not a member of the.uniou and within, a week after his engagement .'does not become-and remain a member; of the union, the company 6hall dismiss such; worker if requested to do so by the union. Further, the company shall, when requested by ;the union to do so, , take-into consideration the advisability .of dismissing any. worker'..now,, employed by the company if' after fourteen days,from the service upon; him by the iinion of the notice, requiring him to join the. union, such./worker refuses* or, neglects to. become and' remain a member of J the Huntly Coal-mino Employees' Industrial Union of' Workers. The-provi-sions of the foregoing clause shall operate only if,' and. so long as, the rules of the union permit , any person of good character/and sober habits to become a member of thennion upon payment of an entrance fee not exceeding ss. upon a writteh;.or.rverb.al'i.application' without ballot or other"election, and. to continue -a member upon payment of subsequent contributions "not "exceeding 6d.'per week. The company shall not be compelled to reemploy any worker..who at ( any. time has been discharged'frpm-;his.''em*ployment by the 'that such 'or'become and remain a member of the union. "

(b) Kojdfficiai of the company shall be a member, of the union. The union shall do all in its pewer to prevent* any strike ■by a worker affected by this agreement, and if any strike shall occur in which any members .of' the'union, shall take/part, such strike-shall be prima' facie evidence that the union has committed a breach of its duty hereunder. The union expressly I covenants and agrees that it will not. as a union, recognise, take part in, aid, abet, or in any way promote or assist any strike,, unless .and until a secret ballot hfts_becn taken of_ nil financial members or-at lea^t' two-thirds of suohi members, and Tinless' and until, subsequent-to such ballot and consent, at least six weeks'notice in writing has been given to the company. Providing : always that . the taking of such ballot'and- consent of such majority shall not in any way lessen or Temove any liability, otherwise resting upon, the union -under, the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, or 'otherwise. If any strike'by anv of the workers affected by this, agreement shall occur then tlio operation of all-the provisions contained in the foregoing olduses of this agreement 6hall; tit the option of. the company, be suspended, and'in lieu thereof the follow-, ing provisions'shall, come into force and shall remain in force until further agreement shall, be-made,'or this agreement revived;'that is to say, hours of work, wages, and other conditions of work for nil -workers .coming within the scope of this agreement shall be fixed by agreement between the company and individual workers employed: The company on its part . undertakes and agrees that it will not unnecessarily 'or-'unreasonably cease work, but will -use its interest to keep the workers.fully em-, plovod. . . Wages, overtime, and holidays are dealt with at length. Should any matter arise during the ■terni of'this industrial agreement, and not herein provided for, such matter shall be referred to the manager and president of the union iVith the view to coming to terms, or in case they, cannot come. to an agreement, the • matter : shall be. referred to the Conciliation Commissioner. of 'the district, v,'hose, decision shall be final.

THE WORD '"SCAB." ITS USE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. (By Telegraph— Press Association,). Auckland, November 29. Notice was posted at Huntly mines today to the effect that any employee of the company shall be subject to instant dismissal who shall j upon or within the precincts or any part, of the property of the company, use towards anyone the word "scab" or-other insulting epithet, or any' threat or language likely to :cause. intimidation. • A further notice is also posted intimating that'the^o'urs- of work, wages, and other, conditions ,of .work for all workers not member's.',of.-the Arbitration TJnion Bhall : b9Vdnd.remain; as.fixed in the award of the. CWurt'-preyipusly in existence, provided "that- December 14 it to give 'fourteen' days' ••riotice. ,l /tefore discharging any worker ■notVa'meniber of the said union, but such workers shall be subject to dis- ' charge without - notice upon : paymerit of wages to time of discharge. . ( ,