COAL MINE STOPPAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1940, Page 2

COAL MINE STOPPAGES

DISPUTES COMMITTEE’S REBUKE [per press association.] WELLINGTON, September 21. The seriousness of stoppages of work in coal mines in war-time is stressed in the unanimous decision of the National Disputes Committee, regarding the Macdonald mine, in wettime payment to William Nuttall on one day in August, and the Committee’s decision is that the wet-time amount provided in the agreement should be paid to him for this day. The Committee points out that the decision is not to be interpreted as a ruling that this job is to be considered a wet-time job on every day it is raining. The Committee expresses the opinion that the dispute should have been capable of settlement by the local Disputes Committee at Huntly. Thefe is, however, a much more serious aspect of the case, than the actual dispute. The mine was stopped and was- idle for three days, and, after work was resumed and the Disputes Committee failed to reach an agreement, work was again stopped, on a trivial pretext. The mine was idle for six days, and the Glen Afton mine for two days, without any justification whatever. The loss in output was approximately 6000 tons, and the loss of wages was not less than’ £2OOO. •

“Even in ordinary times, the action of'those responsible in bringing about such a stoppage of work would be highly reprehensible, but these are not ordinary times.” The Committee says that it is in the interests of all parties that disputes should be settled promptly and reasonably, and that matters which are relatively unimportant should not be aggravated in such a way as to create hostile feelings unnecessarily. Any persons not prepared to deal with disputes in this reasonable way were endangering the welfare of the whole mining community. It is urged on all parties that disputes be dealt with strictly in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and that, until the machinery provided in the agreement has been used to the full, no stoppage shall occur.