DELEGATE CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 131, 1 December 1930, Page 9

DELEGATE CONFERENCE

A GRAVE SITUATION

MR, COOK'S EARLIER VIEW

LONDON, 28th November. The miners' delegate conference has rejected applications from four districts for permission to work, spread-over hours, and has recommended that in the event of a stoppage in any district, other districts should consider giving notices of a national cessation of work. Mr. A. J. Cook, Miners' Federation representative on. the Trades Union Congress, describes the situation as being of the gravest. North Wales, South "Wales, Cumberland, Scotland, and possibly somo Midland districts would bo involved in. stoppages on. Monday unless something happened in the meantime. The miners regarded the spread-over as a continuance of the eight-hour day, said Mr. Cook. The South Wales owners to-night decided to post notices on the coalfield offering a continuance of the existing conditions throughout December, but the hours must not exceed 90 in a fortnight. A joint Conciliation Board in the meanwhile is attempting to settle the conditions of a permanent spread-over. In the event of failure the matter will bo referred to independent arbitration. Stoppages have been avoided in several other fields, where owners and miners have come to terms. In North Staffordshire a spread-over of hours has been accepted until 31st January next, on a basis of a maximum of 45 hours p, w-eek at current wages. In, Northumberland there will bo no spread-over of hours, but a seven and a half hours' day is to be observed, as laid down by the Act. In Cannock Chase the miners are to work a sev-en and a half hours' day for the next fortnight, pending the hearing of an appeal by the Coal Board. In the Tirivol area a spread-over of hours and a continuance of working as at present have been agreed on pending, negotiations for^a final settlement.