DEMANDS OF MINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 8

DEMANDS OF MINERS.

INCREASE IN RATES OF PAY. ALL-ROUND ADVANCE SOUGHT FIVE-DAY WEEK QUESTION. DELETION OF "GO-SLOW" CLAUSE [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Representatives of the West Coast miners will meet the coalmine owners in conference next Wednesday in order to discuss proposals for a new agreement. The last agreement expired on April 30 and fresh demands have been drawn up by the men. These were discussed at a preliminary meeting of coalmine owners held in Wellington to-day. In their demands the miners are asking for a substantial increase in the rates of pay. It has been decided to press for a 7£ per cent, increase on all existing tonnage rates. These rates at present range from 33 2jjd to 5s 6£d per ton in solid workings in the case of Millerton, West-port-Stockton, Paparoa and Blackball mines, and from 3s 4£d to 5s 8d per ton in the case of the Denniston mine. In pillar working the rates range from &* 8(3 to 4s per ton, and from 2s 9£d to 4s 113 d per ton. A per cent, increase all round is also asked for in the case of yardage rates, which at present range from 6s lljd to 9s per yard in the Grey district. Increases of 7£ per cent, on existing rates are also sought for dealing with bottom coal (ranging at present from 2s 9|d to 3s 2jjd per ton), and for yardage rates in narrow places. Objection to Trucking. The miners object to doing their own trucking, and they ask that the clause providing that in isolated and inconvenient places such should be the rule should be deleted from the agreement. They also ask that lJ,d per ton extra should be paid for running the face jig after 22yds. On the question of timbering the miners are asking that there should be a 7Jj per cent, increase on existing rates, which at present range from 9d to 5s per set, according to the particular type of work to be done. They are also asking that the present provisions in regard to "wet places" should be made to apply to all workers, one-man "wet places" to be cut out and all roads to bo properly drained and kept in order. On the subject of the minimum wage for miners the expiring agreement makes the following provision:—"A miner working on tonnage rates who shall be unable, through no fault of his own, to earn an average of 17s 6d per shift for any fortnightly period, shall be paid an amount sufficient to make lip his earnings to an average of 17s 6d per shift for the number of shifts worked by him during such period." The miners are seeking to amend this clause and are asking for a minimum weekly wage for all adult workers of £4 12s 6d, other workers to' be paid in proportion. This proposal, if adopted, would also amend all the present provisions dealing with the rate of wages to be paid. The Hours of Work. The miners are asking that all youths should be paid according to the class of work performed, an rl is also asked that the classification "second-class shiftsmen" should lie cut out. The present agreement classifies a first-class shiftsman as follows: "A first-class shiftsman shall mean one who is capable of doing timbering or other responsible work to the satisfaction of the manager." Increases are asked for screen workers to bring them into line with rope road workers, whose present rates range from 5s lid to 15s 9d per day. Although tho demands do not definitely state that tho miners are seeking a fiveday week, it is generally understood that this proposal will como before the conference next week. The only reference to hours in the demands is the following: "Seven hours, bank to bank." The miners are asking for a fortnight's holiday on full pay and double time for Sundays and holidays. At present wages arc paid once a fortnight, but the miners are now asking that payment should be made each week. The deletion of tho following clause relating to go-slow and stop-work, meetings is also sought: "The adoption of a goslow policy or tho holding of a stop-work meeting without the permission of tho manager at any mine shall be regarded as a breach of this agreement, and all participators in such go-slow policy or employees absenting themselves from work for any such meeting shall be liable to dismissal without notice, in addition to any other penalties to which they may be liable." The agreement under which tho State coalmines are working expired on April 30, but in accordance with past practice it will continue in operation until a new agreement has been drawn up.