N.S.W. MINERS

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 9

N.S.W. MINERS

10 PER CENT. WAGE RISE Settlement of Dispute [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SYDNEY, August 13. The settlement of the dispute in the New South Wales coal industry means that contract miners will re- ' ceive an immediate increase of ten ‘ per cent, in wages. Day wage employees will recieve five per cent, increase. In other words, the wage concessions represent, in the aggregate, a slight increase on the wage cuts imposed seven years ago. The agreement is to operate from next Monday. The terms of the agreement will be reviewed by a State conference of miners’ delegates to-day, and it is considered likely that their acceptance will be recommended to mass meetings of the miners, early next week. The miners’ delegates were jubilant at the outcome of the conference, and declare the concessions are the most substantial received for many years. The terms of settlement will be placed before the miners’ lodges in various districts for ratification. The Union leaders stated that the cost to the owners of the concessions gained approximately £250,000 per year. STAY-IN STRIKE. BY MELBOURNE GAS EMPLOYEES. MELBOURNE, August 12. A stay-in strike is in progress at West and South Melbourne Gasworks and efforts are being made to extend the dispute to the provincial centres. About seven hundred employees are idle, and in complete possession of the plants. The men are demanding an increase in wages above the basic wage. They declare that they will not leave the works until the demands are granted. A limited supply of gas is, available throughout Melbourne, v.nieh is being generated by superintendents Neither the Government nor Lie police have so far intervened. 40-HOUR WEEK IN AUSTRALIA. CANBERRA, August 13. The Labour Party will not demand ; that the Labour Premiers of Queens- ■ land, Western Australia, and Tas- ; mania should introduce the forty-hour week, to prepare the way for Labour’s Federal election campaign. A suggestion made to a meeting of the Labour Council of Advice, that such a direction should be sent to the States, was not supported. ‘ ,