COAL MINERS

Evening Star, Issue 17375, 10 June 1920, Page 3

COAL MINERS

TARATU MEN TO RESUME. NATIONAL DISPUTES COMMITTEE TO BE CONSULTED. The Taratu miners met yesterday afternoon to consider telegrams from the Prime Minister and Mr Arbucklo (secretary of the Miners’ Federation), both of whom urged the men to return to work and submit the dispute to the National Disputes Committee, who would meet early next week in Wellington. It was decided to return to work on Monday next, but tho men are firm that unless their demands are met in full the strike will bo immediately resumed. STATEMENT BY UNION. The following statement has been issued by the president of the Taratu Miners’ Union : “ On behalf of the Taratu coal miners now on strike, I want to put tho real facts of the case before the public. As you are aware, we were granted at the last National Conference a 25 per cent, increase to pieceworkers and 30 per cent, to wages men on pre-war rates. „ “ The working places in dispute at, present had no pre-war rate; these seams had not been worked for a number of years before the war broke out. “We applied to the Arbitration Court to fix a rate for these seams. The Court held there was not sufficient evidence before them to fix a rate, but decided in the event of the union and the management failing to fix a price, we could it before the Court again, and it could be made a supplementary award. After several conferences it was agreed to by botn parties, and signed by the management, that these workings be paid 3s 6d per ton and 2s increase on stentons. makmg 5d per ton above the top seam (which is not in dispute). “ The company paid these rates up to March, 1920; also the 25 per cent, war bonus granted on thosq rates. They have now taken the 3d per ton and the yardage off, and are paying a flat rate of 4s 101 d per ton and 6s per yard for stentons, instead of 5s 3d per ton and 9s per yard. ■Surface hands prior to the increase were receiving 10s per day, and were paid 30 per cent, war bonus on that wage. They are now receiving 9s per day and 60 per cent., made into a flat rate of 14 s sd. Blacksmith and engine drivers were receiving 12s pgr day and 30 per cent, war bonus before the national agreement came into force. The last conference granted a further 30 per cent, increase. The company immediately . deducted 2s . per day and paid the 60 per cent, on 10s per clav instead of on 12s, making only 5d per day increase. We have met the company cn fivo_ different occasions—three times as a conference and twice as a disputes committee—and were completely turned down. The last time we met the management absolutely refused to pay accord in g°to the national agreement. The men feel they have been, very unjustly dealt with, and are determined to fight for their rights.”