REACHING AGREEMENT

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 133, 3 December 1930, Page 11

REACHING AGREEMENT

CONFIDENCE IN OUTCOME

SANCTIONING SPREAD-OVER

(British Official Wireless.) EUGBY, Ist December. In the English and Welsh coalfields work proceeded as usual to-day. In Scotland-there was a stoppage in most, though not in all, districts, but hopes are entertained that the situation will be relieved as a result of the conference of the Scottish Coal Trade Conciliation Board, which will meet at Glasgow at noon at the request of the National Union of Scottish Mine Workers. ■ The utmost confidence is expressed that a temporary, if not a final, agreement will be reached and the danger of! a general stoppage in Scotland averted. SOUTH WELSH DECISION. Saturday's decision of «the South Wales Miners' Federation in accepting a district agreement for a spreadover of working hours, despite the embargo placed on such an agreement by the National Miners' Federation in London on the previous day, apparently has had marked effect upon the situation. It is generally anticipated that when the National Federation meets again on Thursday it will reverse Friday's decision and sanction the spread-over in districts, where miners desire it. The secretary of the federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, said yesterday: "It is for each district to consider the position in relation to its own needs, namely to protect wages and standards." ALMOST DEFINITE.' The president of the National Union of Scottish Mine Workers expressed the opinion this morning that the negotiations at to-day's Glasgow meeting in reference to the stoppage of work in the Scottish coalfields would be such that it was almost definite that a settlement of a temporary character at least would result. Mr. E. Shinwell, Secretary for Mines, stated in the House of Commons that in England and Wales all pits were working to-day, and in Scotland 18 per cent, of the men. When, to-day the Scottish1 Coal Board mot, the Glasgow men's officials said that an agreement was almost certain. The board adjourned without reaching a decision, but hopes are widely held that the Scottish miners who struck to-day will return to work on a day-to-day basis;