COAL STRIKE AVERTED

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 January 1936, Page 2

COAL STRIKE AVERTED

MEN ACCEPT LOWER OFFER

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

(Rec January 25, Noon) LONDON, January 24.

A coal strike was averted, with the mine workers’ decision to accept their leaders’ advice and agree to the owners’ offer of a shilling a day increase. The men demanded 2/-. A large majority, however, carried a resolution that while they considered the owners’ offer was unsatisfactory, not affording the miners a standard of living to which they were entitled, in view of the owners’ undertaking that a National Joint Consultative Committee would be created to discuss wages and other matters, the owners’ offer be accepted, as an instalment towards the further improvement, which the selling schemes should make possible.

DETAILS OF

RUGBY, January 24

The national delegate conference of the Mine Workers’ Federation, met to-day, to hear the report of the executive on the amended offer of the owners. After a resolution of condolence with the Royal Family was honoured in silence, the delegates voted on the recommendation accepting the owners’ terms as cabled. In making the recommendation, the executive committee was strongly influenced by the desirability’of avoiding an industrial disturbance in the present circumstances of the nation, and by the keenest possible desire to prevent loss and injury to the public who have so loyally supported the miners’ claim.

The recommendation was accepted on a card vote by 260,000 votes to 112,000, with 34,000 abstaining.