HOURS AND WAGES

Northern Advocate, 15 November 1929, Page 5

HOURS AND WAGES

BRITISH MINING IMPASSE SUPPORT FOR CABINET SCHEME NATIONAL AGREEMENT CRUX.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 13,

The coal industry negotiations assumed a new phase yesterday. Por the first time the Prime Minister, Mr MacDonald, took part in them. : In the morning Mr MacDonald and the members of the Coal Committee of the Cabinet met representatives of the coal owners. In the afternoon the Ministers received members of the miners’ executive.

Another difficulty has been created, by the insistence of the miners on a national wages agreement. The owners say they will, under no circumstances, depart from the present practice of district agreements. The Prime Minister and the Coal Committee are making a strenuous effort to overcome these difficulties. It is understood they discussed with the owners yesterday the question of setting up a national board for the mining industry as an alternative to a national agreement.

It is suggested that a national board would be comparable with the National Wages Board which already exists for the railways and which is working very satisfactorily. It would be in the nature of a tribual, to which appeals could be made in the event of the owners proposing a reduction in wages in any district consequent upon a reduction of hours.

The Yorkshire mine-owners passed a resolution today accepting the reduction in hours to seven and a half and also the Government’s marketing scheme, which they considered sound and likely to promote the Industry’s interests.

The Ministry has received from the Executive of the Miners’ Federation assurances of their support for the Cabinet’s pending legislation dealing with hours and so forth.

The “Daily Herald” says that the Bill will include a provision as a reply to the owners’ refusal to negotiate a national agreement.