WAIHI MINERS' BALLOT

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 70, 23 March 1920, Page 4

WAIHI MINERS' BALLOT

SUPPORT GIVEN TO ENGINEERS!

(SI TELEGRAPH.—PKESS ASSOCIATION.)

WAIHI, 22nd March,

A stop-work meeting of the Ohinemuri Miners' Batteries Union commenced this morning and concluded this evening. The meeting was not open to the press, but it was officia-Uy . intimated that a strike had been declared and that the decision had been carried by a large majority. The mines and batteries at Waihi and Awakino have not been worked since Saturday afternoon, owing to the stop-work meeting to-day, and will remain idle. Until such time as some settlement of tlie dispute between the mineowners and the two unions (engineers and miners )is reached. As to when and how this will be brought about, nothing can be.said at the present stage, but it would appear from the voting at the meeting that, while not unanimous, the great majority of the members of the Miners' Union favoured the proposal to down tools and join, with the men of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in a strike. j The issues placed before the meeting } were whether there should be a strike | or some other form of action taken to 1 insist on the demands mads being granted by the mine-owners. The official figures were: — For the strike 297 Other form of action 97 j The motion for strike or no strike was then submitted and was declared unanimously in favour of a strike. Ko iiv formation is available from the mineowners, who have so far not been officially notified of the decision of the union, but it is presumed that the mines will automatically close down and that no effort will be made in the direction of seeking outside labour in the meantime.