COAL CONFERENCE CLOSED

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 25 May 1932, Page 5

COAL CONFERENCE CLOSED

AGREEMENT NOT REACHED. POWERS OE MANAGERS. 'By Teleg-rapb —Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 24. The deadlock between, the Northern District Coal “Miners’ Union and the northern members of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association over the new industrial agreement covering the Waikato and Hikurangi mines was not ended by the further conference held to-day after an interval of a fortnight. •In view of the renewed strike at Hikurangi the mine owners reiterated their refusal to discuss proposals and counter-proposals in general until the men returned to work. They offered, however, to discuss one proposal—that mine managers should have the unrestricted right to engage and discharge men w T hen necessary. This the union representatives refused to accept unless with the proviso that a system was devised satisfactory to the union.

The employers declined to make amendments to the clause, and the conference then closed, the employers stating that they were prepared to reopen it when the Hikurangi miners returned to work. If the strike did not end before June 4 they -would put their proposals into effect in the Waikato mines on that date.