COAL MINES DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21213, 20 June 1932, Page 11

COAL MINES DISPUTE.

decision at HIKURANGI. men to resume work. 'FOLLOWING DOMINION LEAD. POINTS FOR THE CONFERENCE. [ FHOM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] VrHAXGARET, Sunday. 'A meeting of the Hikurangi Miners' Union was held to-day - to consider a recommendation from the national council of United Mine Workers of New Zealand that the mien resume work. In consequence, the question of calling out the miners of the Waro co-operative collieries was not discussed. It was decided to resume work immediately", provided a majority of mines in Jfew Zealand arc starting again. This course was adopted principally to permit a resumption of the conference between the mine owners and the Miners' Union, which broke down when the Hikurangi men went on strike. Messrs. T. Dunn,; president, and C. A. Latham, secretary, will represent the Hikurangi I'n ion at the conference, when two vital points will be raised. One is that in the new working agreement to be made the manager shall not have the unrestricted right -o engage or discharge any employee, as the Miners' Union contends this should be controlled by a committee comprising representatives of the owners anil the union. The second point is the reinstatement of the 55 men who were discharged from the mine some weeks ago. This was the main cause of the strike. Mr. J. Makinsoi), manager of the Hikurangi Coal Company's min.\ stated this evening he had received no word from the union officials,, but that the mine could be ready for working within 24 hours of advice that the men intended to resume. The number of men to recommence is 90, apart from the 30 safety men who have b?en working throughout the strike. This, number did not include the 55 dismissed men, and he said he had no instructions to re-engage them. Mr. Makinson further stated his directors had previously stipulated that the manager's right to engage or discharge employees must be agreed to by the union, and lie considered it doubtful whether the directors would reopen the mine unless that was done.

ATTITUDE OF OWNERS. STATEMENT BY MR. HOLGATE. RIGHT OF ENGAGEMENT. "The companies in the Northern District are prepared to reopen the mines at once provided the men are ready to return to work and the unions agree that the respective companies shall have the unrestricted right to engage and discharge men," s; id Mr. \V. IX Holgjate. president of the New Zealand Coal .Mine Owners' Association, last evening. '•So far as tl;:s district is concerned, we are insistent upon the unrestricted right of engagement and discharge," Mr. Holgate continued. '"We are prepared to vary the wording of the clause, however, by giving the right to the company instead of the mina manager, in each case."

REVIEW OF TROUBLE. STATEMENT FOR THE MEN. NO OUTSIDE INFLUENCE. A replv to the statement made by the president of the Coal Mine Owners' Association, Mr. W. D. Holgate, on Tuesday last, reviewing the history of the present dispute with the miners, has been received from the secretary of the Hikurangi Miners' Union, Mr. C. Latham. The secretary writes to the Herald as follows: I do not intend to* dwell on the matter of a conference, as that matter is in the hands of the officials of the Lnited fline Workers' Union, but I have official information of appeals and replies to Mr. T. 0. Bishop, secretary of the Coal Owners' Association, for a conference: therefore you can readily see that the statement that we are only asking the Government to force a conference is un true. With regard to the Waikato representatives being successful in getting the Hikurangi men back to work, as stated by Mr. Holgate, that is incorrect. At the meeting at which these men were present, on May £, the Hikurangi men declined to resume work by a substantial majority. A week later, on May 14, a further meeting of the men was called, and it was reported to them that Mr. H- M. Rushworth, M.P. for this electorate, intimated that a conference with the Hikurangi Coal Company on the question o: sharing work could take place simultaneously with the men resuming work. The men decided to resume work at once, io allow t he conference to proceed, hut for some reason best known to the Hikurangi Coal Company, that conference did not take place, although every effort was made on behalf of the union. That was the 'reason the men resumed

work. A further meeting was hold on May 22 and it was reported to the men that Mr. Rush worth had not been successful in getting a conference, and that the notices to the 55 men had expired. -ft was then decided that owing to no conference being arranged we considered that we bad been tricked into resuming work and would cease at once. 1 his infoimation was sen) to the Ilikurangi Coal Company. At this meeting Mr. A. McLagan. seii ptary of the United Mine Workers or New Zealand, was present, and in fairness to Mr. McLagan, I must say that bis visit to Hikurangi was not for the purpose of advising strike action or otherwise, hut [njrelv for organising purposes. He did not persuade the men to come out on strike, as stated by Mr. Ilolgate, and when directly asked for his opinion on strike action "he declined to advise them in any way at that juncture, but pointed out tl;e advantages and disadvantages ,»n |,n; I. sides. A week later, when Mr \lcl>u"air was hundreds of miles av.av, ;1 secret ballot was -taken, which showed a majority of 7 to 1 to remain out. It dors seem a ridiculous statement foi anyone to make, that any one man could Persuade 150 men to cease work against their own wish, and particularly from a Person of the calibre of Mr. Ilolgate, who has had so rnanv dealings with the rtfi tiers. I would like to say a word or two on the question of the managers having the fight to engage and dismiss men at their °wn discretion. This right, if given to the owners, could be used by unscrupulous managers to reduce the earning power o. the men by 25 per cent. Space will not permit me to go into details, but honestly believe that we should be pioteeted against the owners, and not .illow them to get public favour by offering us * reasonable agreement "with the de\il 10 the middle of it" making it possible for * 25 per cent, reduction.