GLENAFTON COLLIERIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19155, 22 October 1925, Page 10

GLENAFTON COLLIERIES

"no WORK FOR T¥/G days.' RESUMPTION THIS MORNING. SEVERAL POINTS IN DISPUTE.' OWNERS MEET MEN ON MONDAY. The miners employed at Glenafton collieries, in the Waikato district, ceased work on Tuesday morning and were out again yesterday. Over 300 men are affected and action was taken to enforce certain demands made on the owners, the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. Some of the minor demands have been conceded, but the company declined to consider the major point at issue until work was resumed. This the men have agreed to do, and work will be resumed this morning. Consideration will be given to the other points on Monday, when the owners will meet the men's representatives. The main point at issue is that theunion wants miners to be drafted from truckers. Under the award two truckers are allowed to go on coal each quarter. The men wish the company to agree that any miners who may be employed as truckers are to go on the coal in their turn as vacancies occur. This the company cannot agree to, as it would mean that tjie management could not engage any outside men if there were any miners employed as truckers. Although the men have ceased work for two days, and so lost £SOO in wages on this issue, they frankly admit that there is no man in the company's employ who has any grievance in regard to drafting truckers on to coal. In short, the men have no specific case to cite in justification of their demand. On the other hand, the owners wish to reserve thenright to employ men from outside the truckers' ranks, subject to the requirements of the award. As far as the company's own factories and industries are concerned, from six weeks to two months' stocks of coal are held at each factory. In addition the. company has a reserve of between 7000 and 80U0 tons of slack coai, which will be sufficient to supply the requirements of ordinary consumers for at least seven weeks. Other demands made by the men were:— (1) That the miners be supplied with household instead of kitchen coal. This was agreed tc> (2) That light work be found for an employee named Sherwin, who some time ago met with an accident. —In this case tho Arbitration Court awarded compensation, which has been duly paid. The company, however, agreed to find light work for three months conditional on there being no further obligation to find employment should Sherwin then be unable to resume his former job. (3) That the company immediately renew a bridge which was recently destroyed by floods and make roads to and' fence" all cottages—The company agreed to consider the matter of roading and fencing, but as the bridge is on_ a public read the company has no authority to renew it. Moreover, the men are i perfectly well aware that the Raglan County Council has arranged to construct a new bridge within the next- few weeks. (4) That the company cart all coal to miners' homes.—This was not agreed to, as a large number of men live in Huntly, Pukemiro and surrounding districts. Commenting on the men's demands last evening, the company's secretary, Mr. C. M. Richwhite, said that over 300 men had been kept in continuous employment since the colliery opened over two years ago. Other collieries in the same district had worked little more than half-time. The company had done everything possible for its employees by building;, modern houses and improving general living conditions. The present interruption was particularly unfortunate in view of the Waikato owners' efforts, to induce the Railways Department to use New Zealand coal. The department has repeatedly rejoined that regularity of supply was a first essential for the railways. Interruptions at the mines only gave force to the department's objection.