Coal Enginemen To Defy Board, Union

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1948, Page 3

Coal Enginemen To Defy Board, Union

LONDON, Fri. (11 a.m. I ). —Despite threats from the National Coal Board and Mineworkers’ Union that negotiations would be stopped and other labour used, the executive of the “breakaway” Winding Enginemen’s Union decided to call a strike of its members for Sunday.

The union claims a membership of about one-third of the winding enginemen in Britain’s nationalised mines.

Mr Will Lawther, the president, and Mr Arthur Horner, the secretary of the Mineworkers’ Union, both condemned the planned strike saying it would endanger British economy. Both stated that steps would be taken to see that the strikers became ineligible for re-employment. The Enginemens Union claims that the Coal Board refused to negotiate. COAL BOARD’S LOSS The main reason for the loss the National Coal Board incurred in the second quarter of 1947, after making a profit in the first quarter, was the introduction of the five-day week, said Mr J. Latham, the.-tadard’s director of finance. s' He added tjaat the board had not passed the on to consumers until September.

The cost of lifting coal in the first quarter of 1947 in the newly-nation-alised mines showed an increase of about 18d a ton compared with the last quarter of 1946 under private ownership. The cost increased in the second quarter of 1947 with the five-day week by about another 30d. a ton. The Ministry of Labour has appointed a court of inquiry into the dispute between the National Coal Board and Winding Enginemen’s Union. FIGURES RELEASED The figures of profit and loss to which Mr Latham referred were: First quarter, 1947, profit before charging interest £1,974,809; second quarter, loss before charging interest £3.270.676. The board’s interest costs in one year on advances from the Treasury for developments and on income payments for former mineowners are expected to total about £13,000,000.