COAL MINES DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10082, 21 September 1918, Page 7

COAL MINES DISPUTE

- m "■ MINERS ACCEPT BONUSES A TEXT AGREEMENT BETWEEN OWNERS AND -MEN. . Advice has been, received thatthe -Sroposals for the payment of a bonus of 10 per cent, to wage s men and >i per cent, to piece and. contract workers has been accepted by the Miners Union by a large majority. ±u»al re- . turns regarding, the,. proposals to deal '" with future disputes" are not yet complete. The terms agreed upon at the recent conference are as under: 1. That with the view of securing an amicable settlement of the dispute, and accepting the assurance of. the miners' delegates that during the term of the existing agreements the federation will undertake that no further Dominion coal labour dispute will arise, the mine-owners offer to increase existing bonuses by 7$ per cent to piece and contract workers and 10 per cent, to wages men. 2. That the mine-owners undertake to supply miners with explosives during the currency of existing industrial agreements at the prices at present heing charged by the respective companies. The conference also disucsaed the question of providing the means whereby disputes occurring in individual mines during the currency of the agreements might be expeditiously and effectively dealt with, and in this way prevent strikes, lockouts, stop-work meetings, etc- . . In that connection a sub-committee was. sot up to draft proposals which were agreed .to as under by the conference, and have since been approved by the parties concerned. 1. That any dispute which cannot be settled by the exocutive of the union and the management of the particular mine concerned shall be referred forthwith to the district disputes committee.

2. The district disputes committee shall consist of three representatives appointed hy each side, and shall deaj with any matter which has not been aettled by the means provided in clause 1 hereof. Failing settlement of any dispute by the district disputes committee, it shall be referred forthwith to tho national disputes committee. 3. The national disputes committer shall consist of three representatives appointed by tho coal mine owners and three representatives appointed by the New Zealand Miners' Federation, and shall deal with such matters as are referred to.it by the district committees; ' ■'" •

4. Either party shall havo the right to appeal to the national disputes committee from tho decision of any district disputes committee. 5. The decision.of the national disputes committee shall be final and binding on all parties to any dispute. It is agreed by both parties to the abovo proposals that no strike, lockou, or unnecessary stoppage of work shall take place in any mine until tho matter or matters in dispute havo been dealt with, a« provided for abovo. and that any decision of the national disputes oomraittco shall bo loyally accepted by all concerned. It is also agreed that nothing in any of the above provisions shall ho so construed as to in any way interfere with or.curtail tho rights of coal mine managers or officials in their full and proper control, of the working of the coal mines, nor shall anything be done to interfere with the recognised functions of local unions.

The above conditions shall remain in operation for twelve months from tho ratification thereof by all parties, and may- thereafter be reviewed and dealt with by tho said partie s as may bo decided upon.