COAL MINERS’ DEMANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4475, 16 February 1917, Page 5

COAL MINERS’ DEMANDS.

STATEMENT OF THE POSITION. (Press Association Telegram.) AUCKLAND. Feb. 15. The president of the Coal Owners’ Association denies an assertion that the coal owners declined to meet the Coal Miners’ Federation in conference „ On the contrary, he says, the employers agreed from the outset to hold a conference, provided the Federation, which was seeking to alter the system from local awards as between local unions and local owners to a Dominion award, should first formulate definitely its demands respecting each mine. They intimated on January 24 that a conference could be arranged within 14 days of the receipt of the Federation’s demands. These demands reached the Association on February 10, and a conference' was at once arranged for February 21. The Federation asks for an increase of 174 per cent, on the present rates; for miners working on tonnage rates,, who are unable to earn an average of 14s" Id per shift, to have their pay brought up to that amount; tor an idle day on Saturdays; for wages to be paid weekly on Friday instead of fortnightly; for free household coal instead of coal at cost, and a mini lei of other alterations of working conditions which, the employers state, will materially increase the cost or living.

THE GO-SLOW POLICY. ( Press- Association Telegram.) AUCKLAND. Feb. 15. It was stated to-day by one of the Auckland coal mining companies that the go-slow policy, as sworn to before the Military' Service Board at Hamilton, had been evident to the management for quite a fortnight past. The restriction of output amounts to a falling off of 100 to 100 tons a day in each of three mines m the district, and actually _ about 330 tons a day for the district. Local representatives of the companies iesent the suggestion that there is any need for such a policy to foi ce th owners to «igre© to ci confeionce. thev had made it clear that they were willing to concede it provided the Federation aims were first formulated.