TERM OF AWARD

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 150, 28 June 1938, Page 18

TERM OF AWARD

DISPUTE LEADS TO STRIKE SOUTHLAND COAL MINERS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, June 27. With the exception of one small cooperative mine, the Southland coal mines on the Nightcaps and Ohai fields will be idle tomorrow. A conference of representatives of owners and miners, held at Invercargill today, failed to settle the period of the new industrial agreement between the parties, and the miners' representatives announced that work would cease toThe union wants the agreement to run for two years and the owners insist on one year. About 400 men will be affected by the stoppage and there are prospects of a shortage of coal within a week unless work is resumed. There has been an abnormal demand for coal during the past fortnight because of the cold weather in the South Island, and heavy orders have been received in Southland, Otago. and South Canterbury. The companies state that they are already up to a fortnight late in the delivery of coal for this reason, and supplies on the local market are fairly short. It is not the practice to accumulate substantial reserves of coal because of te extra cost of handling involved. The coal is loaded on to railway trucks at the mine and railed to the centre of distribution, where it is loaded on to delivery lorries and disposed of quickly. The managers of several coal companies stated tonight that stocks were already light and a stoppage at the mines would soon be felt on the local market. The miners will hold a special meeting in the morning to consider the position, but the statement issued tonight was to the effect that work would not be resumed until the owners were prepared to sign a new agreement for a term of two years.