MINERS’ LEADERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1932, Page 8

MINERS’ LEADERS

“RECKLESS AND TRIFLING.” WEST MAITLAND, Marell 1. Tho executive of the Miners’ Federation was severely criticised by the delegate board of the Federated Mining and Mechanics’ Association for its attitude in the dispute between the Seamen’s Union and the Broken Hill Pty. Co., Ltd. Delegates condemned the representatives of the miners and the seamen for not meeting them in conference. The miners’ officials, it was stated, had assured salaries and were quite prepared to give an instruction to their members to strike without giving their members an opportunity to discuss the matter. The only clean and decent advice given to members in the matter was that, when they did cease work, they could not expect any relief. Delegates added that members of the Miners’ Federation employed at the three collieries concerned —John Darling, Elrington, and Pelton, had awakened to the fact that, to continue, to follow the dictates of such reckless and trifling leaders meant the continued victimisation, starvation, and destruction of their one great organisation. Tho delegate board decided to increase the levy from 6d to 1/- a day for tho purpose of supplementing the funds of the association.