WORK IN MINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23994, 18 June 1941, Page 8

WORK IN MINES

WARTIME STOPPAGES

ABOUT FIFTY HOLD-UPS

PRODUCTION HINDERED News of a stoppage of work at the Dobson mine yesterday serves to draw attention again to the frequency with which the mining industry has been held u]) for longer or shorter periods since the outbreak of the war. Nearly oO of such stoppages have been recorded, the majority of them occurring in the W<iikato or West Coast mines. On September 4, 1!).'», the day after the war began, a strike which had involved 1000 miners in six Waikato mines was settled. The trouble arose over the dismissal of an eldeily man from Glen Afton. Toward the end of October the Liverpool State mine on the West Coast was idle on account oi heavy rain, and a few days later 2X) men came out from the Mac Donald mine because they were not satisfied with the state of the road loading to it. The Glen Afton men joined in the stoppage, but all soon returned to woik. West Coast Troubles Earlv in November the James and Strongman State mines on the West Coast went idle because two truckers had been stood down. A month later the Denniston miners were out for nearly a month in support of their demands for the use of smaller tubs. Holiday pay tvas the cause of prolonged trouble early in PMO in the Wallsend and Dobson mines ; and the managements after a time closed the mines until further notice The Minister of .Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, eventually threatened to take over the mines if work was not resumed, and the men agreed to start again. Various minor stoppages occurred at the Liverpool mine on account of a fall of stone and of heating, and at Kamo, North Auckland, and Rotowai, for stop-work meetings. More serious was the strike in .July,.when 500 men of the Liverpool, James and Strongman mines loft work on account of the dismissal of a trucker. It was estimated that 0000 tons of coal were lost in the first week, of this strik-a. The Government was attacked in Parliament for having shown weakness in the rase, and, when the men finally agreed to return, Mr. Webb expressed his keen appreciation of their attitude. Variety of Causes The death of a workmate caused large numbers of Waikato miners to take two days off work, one to show sympathy and the other to attend the funeral. It was estimated that MOO tons 01 coal were lost. Dobson and Wallsend men stopped in quest of a 5 per cent increase in wages, Rotowaro men to hold a meeting, and Mac Donald men over claims for wet time payment. The latter dispute spread to Glen Afton and involved 400 men. Several stoppages occurred on the West Coast for causes for which the men were in no way responsible, such as repairs to cages, trouble with a fan. accumulation of gas, and a defective rope. A curious hold-up occurred in November. when the Rotowaro men took a day off as a means of registering their protest against criticisms of miners that had been made before the Manpower Committee in Hamilton Of somewhat similar character was the strike of 180 Dobson men, who took a day off last March in order to show their disapproval of the failure of the British Medical Association to co-operate in the Government's medical scheme. Rope Boys Go Home

During this year there has been a certain amount of time lost in Waikato mines through stop-work meetings, and in the Liverpool mine the men have been on strike because trains for men working on wet time have not been available when required. May Day was observed as a holiday by about 1200 Waikato miners. After they had lost seven days' work at the beginning of May, the Mac Donald men agreed to refer demands for increased tonnage rates to the disputes committee. Other stoppages have been caused by rope boys at the Wallsend mine deciding to go home, by the absence of a certificated driver at the lion mine, by hitzli temperatures at Millerton, and by a dispute over contract or day labour at the Hvdro-WestDort mine near Seddonville. '

Such facts speak for themselves, and indicate how wide is the opportunity for greater production by eliminating frivolous and irresponsible stoppages of work.

DOBSON MEN IDLE DISPUTE WITH COMPANY MEASURING OF PIECE WORK (0.C.) GREYMOUTH, Tuesday Because it is claimed that Grey Valley Collieries, Limited, owners of the mine, had declined to abide by the decision of an independent chairman in a recent dispute, the Dobsou mine was idle to-day, and an indication has been given by the miners' representatives that the men will not accept work until the decision is observed. A dispute arose some weeks ago between the union and the management concerning "make-up" in a case where miners ou piece work do not produce .sufficient coal to earn them the minimum rate of £1 Os JOd a day set out in the agreement. The union requested that the output of each miner on piece work should be measured each week instead of fortnightly, but the request was declined by the management. Tho dispute was then referred to an independent- chairman, Mr. W. Meldrum, and, according to a statement made by union officials, his decision was that there should be a weekly measurement,.

The union received a telegram to-day from the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, suggesting a resumption of work pending a decision by the Coal Production Council, but a mass meeting of miners decided by 90 votes to six not to resume until the management gives effect _to the decision tlio union says was given by Mr. Meldrum.

COMPANY'S STATEMENT DECISION OBSERVED [BY TKI.KGIt A PH —riIKSS ASSOCIATION] ,CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday "The statement given by the Miners' Onion in connection with the stoppage at the Dobson mine is not correct," said Mr. A. 10. M. Christie, general manager of Grey Valley Collieries, Limited, in a statement this evening, "ii is true," he said, "that the point was submitted to Mr. Meldrum as an independent, chairman, but his decision has been strictly adhered to by tl e company."