THE COAL INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 17731, 4 August 1921, Page 3

THE COAL INDUSTRY

FEDERATION OPPOSES LOCAL

AGREEMENTS,

NATIONAL SETTLEMENT WANTED,

The long period of silence observed by the Aimers’ Federation in the dispute regarding the making of a new national agreement was broken by Mr J. Arbucklo (federation secretary), who recently wrote to Mr Bishop (acting secretary of the Mineowners’ Association), stating; “We aro prepared to discuss a settlement of the present dispute in the coal mining industry with your association on the basis .of the present national agreement with the right to dismiss the hours of work. If this is suitable we would ho pleased to appoint represntatives to meet you at the earliest possible date. With reference_ to tho action of your association in filing cases against individual unions in tho Arbitration Court, we consider that a distinct breach of the present national agreement. At the annual conference of miners’ delegates, which has just finished in Wellington, it was decided definitely that under no consideration would individual unions be prepared to enter into individual or district agreements either through the Arbitration Court or othfw wise.”

■ Mr Bishop replied : “I have been instructed to say that several coal mining companies belonging to this association are not prepared to consider the_ making of a new industrial agreement with your federation. It does not therefore appear that any good result would bo likely to arise out of a conference between tho two organisations. This' association regrets that your federation is so strongly opposed to the making of local agreements between tho miners’ unions and their employers. I beg to suggest that the president and tho secretary of your federation might meet the president of this association and myself to discuss tho_ grounds of your opposition, with the object of ascertaining whether your oposition to local agreements cannot bo overcome.”