AMERICAN COAL STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17338, 9 December 1919, Page 8

AMERICAN COAL STRIKE.

There are numerous points of resemblance between the strike by coal miners in the United States and the " go-slow" tactics of the miners in New Zealand. The American miners demanded a six-hours' day, a fivedays' week, and an increase of 60 per cent, in wages, while the New Zealand Federation asked for a sevenhours', and later a six-hours' day, a five-days' week, and a minimum wage of £l a day. Both the organisations refused to accept any method of arbitration upon their claims, and while the New Zealand Federation has attempted to enforce its demands by restricting the output of coal, the American Mine Workers' Association ordered a general strike with the result that the production of coal has been suspended for five weeks. Upwards of 400,000 men engaged in the strike, and their organisation boasted of a huge fighting fund. It has resulted in disorganisation of industry, widespread unemployment, and great loss and hardship to every class. It has, moreover, entirely failed to gain any advantage for the miners, who finding the whole force of public opinion and public effort antagonised by their tactics, have now accepted the offer of an increase of 14 per cent, in wages which was made 1 during the early negotiations. The , miners in New Zealand face a similar , situation. For over three months they have endeavoured to intimidate the public by deliberately curtailing production, and the result has not been any weakening of the country's defence against such measures, but a certain restriction upon employment and industry. And since the miners have deliberately decreased their earnings for 14 weeks, it may not unfairly be suggested that they have compromised their claim for higher rates of pay. The American strike and its outcome should however assist to convince them that they cannot gain any advantage by persisting in an unreasonable policy. The offer of the employers of an increase in wages is still open to the miners, and their acceptance of wiser counsels than have yet guided them would not only directly improve their circumstances but also benefit them indirectly through the expansion of industry that, will follow upon the establishment of stable conditions in the mining industry.