COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 46, 6 February 1920, Page 6

COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

REVIEW OF POSITION. CAUSE OF THE ’DEADLOCK. OWNERS DESIRE CONFERENCE. BUT ALLIANCE- NOT RECOGNISED. The executive of the New Zealand Cbal Mme Owners’ Association, in the course of a statement reviewing the present position, issued from Wellington, say that, in August last, though they could not agree to consider a Dominion agreement, they offered to meet the inoividual unions to deal with local conditions, and offered i* further bonus of IB per cent, to contract workers and 15 per cent, to wages men, making a total increase during the war period of 35 per cent, to contract workers and 45 per cent, to wages men. The offer was rejected by the Federation, which apparently handed its interest over to the Alliance of Labour. The Coal Mine Owners’ "Association would negotiate with thd Miners’ Federation, but declined to recognise rfhy outside body. WHAT “GO SLOW” HAS DONE. Following the miners' rejection of the owners' otter, the “go-siow' policy was decided on, and the result ot five months of that system reduced the output by, at least, 150,000 tons, and the miners had voluntarily reduced, their earnings from about 22/- to 15/per day. luat being the case, nut only did the public suffer in supplies and high prices, but the fact that earnings have been restricted to 15/- per day for such a lengthened period apparently implies that this amount is a living wage, and that the offer of the employers which would enable an average of 25,- per day to lie earned is a more than liberal one. WHAT COULD BE EARNED. “As indicating the rates of pay which would have been earned since last if the mine owners’ otter had. been accepted, the following extract from information given to the conference by Mr. T. O. Bishop (Act-iag-L'nder-Secretary of the Mines Department) is quoted: — afiners, average 25,- per day Truckers and horsednvers 15,2 per shift Men in charge of rope rued 15,2 per shift Tippers and lamp trimjners per shift Carpenters and blacksmiths I's 5 per shift Yardmen, outside work- . ers, and tool sharpeners 15,0 per shift Thus, if nine shifts per fortnight are worked, as stated by Mr Arouckle, miners would have been earning £ll 5,per fortnight, or £5 12/6 per week, shift-workers from £6 19.6 per ..fortnight (or £4 5/3 per week) to £~ 7,9 per fortnight (or £3 13/16) per week). VL however, the full time available (U shifts per fortnight) were worked the above earnings would be proportionately increased. ‘The actual position, therefore, is that the mine owners have been prepared at any time since the conference to pay the increased rates immediately normal operations were resumed, and to meet their own unions as hitherto, to discuss conditions of work as applicable to each individual mine. Inatmd of accepting the mine owners’ offer the Federation has caused the miners to earn thousands of pounds less in wages than they could have earned, and by its action has seriously hampered the industries of the country, and besides causing a shortage in domestic supplies has compelled the general public io pay higher prices for coal than it should have done.