COST OF STRIKES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 October 1924, Page 3

COST OF STRIKES.

TOTAL OF £1,275,506. The report of the New South Wales Employers’ Federation, presented, at the annual meeting of that body a few days ago, stated that, taking all the Australian States, strikes during 1923 totalled 274. Workspeople involved totalled 76,321; working days lost numbered 1,145,977; and the estimated loss in wages was £1,275,508. The contribution for New South Wales was as follows: —200 strikes, 60,199 workers involved, 892,306 days lost, £1,038,519 loss in wages. The position taken by New South Wales was due to disputes in the coal mining industry, which were as follows: —157 'strikes. 54,645 workers involved, 818,108 days lost, £981,001 loss in wages. “Tlie coalminers are so well paid that they can afford to strike whenever the mood takes them, and nothing is too trivial in their eyes to start a strike.” the report adds. “Only a few weeks back some of them asked to be.allowed to attend a. football match, and on refusal promptly struck. Surely it is time some drastic action was taken to stop this sort of thing; make the fine heavy enough, and it might possibly help to cure, them of their folly. That they can afford to. lose £981,001 in wages is proof enough that they are being too well paid. They seem to be oblivious of the fact that, they are gradually killing ah industry of great importance to the country, and in the end will deprive themselves of good and easily-earned wages.”