MILLERTON MINE STOPPAGE

Evening Star, Issue 24137, 6 March 1942, Page 6

MILLERTON MINE STOPPAGE

THE MEN'S CASE i, WKSTPORI, March 5. expressing the union’s point of view concerning.the stoppage of work at the Millerton mine, the secretary ol the Millerton Miners’ Union, in a statement to-day. pointer! out that the trouble started when the management refused to pay wet-time to two horse drivers who, it was maintained by the management, were above-mound workers. It was decided that tbe miners should bold an iiiiclergrnum.i meeting concerning 1 lii- a.: 1 )", .mil I,lm argument ivas ini', a".-; d l.mi as 11m horse drivers bad w use safety lamps they;

were underground workers. It was maintained that the management was endeavouring to class the horse drivers as above-ground workers when actually they were underground men. The union had made no agreement with the management under which these men were classed as above-ground workers. The journey covered by the horse drivers," it was added, took about 25 minutes over rough country and on an exceptionally .steep grade. 'Concerning the stoppage at .Mine Creek, the 'miners’ secretary pointed out that this was due to the orders of fhe mine officials. The refusal to work three shifts at the Old Dip when the .Mine Creek bridge was wadied away wa< due to the danger involved in removing pillars 111 eo;;i under .. ] ilitioiis. j The statement pointed mu that 1/ pairs of men were producing GOO tons

of coal n day. wiiieb was a record, especially' when viewed in the light of the melts hard work mid the danger to them. Ninety per cent, of the work was done under a 50ft roof at the risk of death or maiming, for which fhe maximum compensation amounted to Tg 1.000, from which compound interest was deducted if settlement was desired before two years. Such a state of affairs was hardly in the best interests of harmoiiy among the workers.