STATE COAL MINERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 255, 27 September 1932, Page 7

STATE COAL MINERS.

AGREEMENT WITH MINISTER. (Bv Telegraph—Special to Standard.) ' . WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. Complete agreement has been reached between Hon. C. E. Macmillan and the State coal miners. Negotiations have been proceeding for some time, and the agreement, which will remain in force until February next, has now been signed by the parties. Mr Macmillan stated this morning that the agreement was practically on the same lines as the agreement reached between the New Zealand Coal Owners’ Federation and the Miners Federation. .The State Miners had agreed to the adoption of_ the agreement by a majority of 115 votes It was practically unanimous, said Mr Macmillan. “I think it is a fair agreement to both parties. We made a few concessions to the men, one in connection with the transportation or household coal supplies and another in reference to broken time. In the past the agreement has provided that the men have to go up to the mine to see whether there is any work for them to do. Under the new agreement the men will be informed by a whistle if there is no work at the mines.” Mr Macmillan intimated that the hire and fire clause was the same in the State agreement as in the agreement with the owners. A request had been made by the men that they should be paid weekly, but this had been declined. Wages will continue to be paid fortnightly as in the past. Tire terms of the agreement will be retrospective.