AN UNPOPULAR ACT

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 7

AN UNPOPULAR ACT

Experience of the Mines Eight Honrs Act a justifying in ft marked degree the opinion of opponents of the measure that it would prove detrimental to labor, &s well as capital, and it is now beyond dispute that this law, unless it is altered, will do far more harm than good. Tor the doubtful advantage, of cutting down tbe working hours cf a minority of the workers in an industry where the hoars were already exceptionally short, we have imposed upon other workers in the same industry longer hours, inconvenient shifts, the loss of meal-times and Saturday half-holidays, and, besides enhancing tbe price of coal, we have added considerably to the dangers of mining. —More Fatal Accidents.— last year, half of which was covered by the Bight Hours Act, 179 more miners were killed than in any previous year. In South Wales the fatal accidents in the first six months under the Act, July to December, 1909, were 28 per cent, higher than in the previous half-year. Already three mine inspectors, in their reports, have commented upon the increase of accidents consequent upon the new law. There is not adequate time for repair work. For example, where formerly a repair gang would work a shift and a-half prior to the coalgetters going down on Monday morning, and have roofs and roadways in order, these men are not now permitted below ground more than eight hours in any twenty-four. Repair work has now to bo done in a hurry. In a word, it is “scamped." Besides this, tjio new measure cannot but result sn_ a general speeding-up policy, and a coal mine, of all places in the world, is where speeding-up is most dangerous. When both miners and managers have fairly settled down to make the best of the Eight Hours Act we are hound to see an increase of dangers and disasters. Not only will managers do alt they can to accelerate the haulage and windage, but the miners themselves will exert extra efforts to “make wages” by lessened attention to timbering, etc. —Safe Men being Discarded.— Hien, again, this new law is sure to result in the gradual weeding out of the aged, experienced, and cautious pitmen—the men whose presence is essential to safe working. Hie old and careful will he turned adrift, the young and reckless will be goaded on, and a multiplication of accidents will be the inevitable result. The mischief is already discernible. In some parts of the oountry the rearrangement of tho working shifts has done much to lessen tho real leisure of the workers. The loss of Saturday half-holidays in some districts is keenly resented, and this may yet provoke a big strike in Wales._ In the North the introduction of the multipleshift "system—three shifts per day of men and two of boys, in place of two shifts of men and one of boys—has completely up'ot the domestic and social customs of the mining community. The men and boys are going out and coming in at almost all hours of the day and night. The women have scarcely ever done preparing rivals, baths, and changes of clothing. In the case of the pit boys great injury has been done. Where formerly the lads worked on a single shift system, and had their meals, rest, and recreation regularly, they are now on double shift—the “ fore" shift necessitating very early rising and the “back shift” late knocking off. —Decreased Earnings.— In the North of England, then, tho Act has struck a blow at the health of the boys, it has inflicted inconvenience upon the men, and imposed something akin to drudgery upon the women. On top of these disadvantages and dangers many of the minors find their wages considerably diminished. Any number of the men have had their earnings reduced by from 5s to 7s a week. In fact, at a certain county court in Glamorgan, where many compensation cases are dealt with, the average wages of a batch of claimants this year worked out at only 27s a week, against 35s last year, before the Eight Hours Act was operative.—Home exchange.