STOPPAGE OF WORK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 6

STOPPAGE OF WORK

Two State Coal Mines Special to the Daily Times GREYMOUTH, May 16. Work was declined by the rope boys employed at the Liverpool State coal mine this morning when a request which they had made to the management was rejected, and they returned home. The rope boys are essential to the movement of coal out of the mine. Their direct action was responsible for closing the mine for the day, and all the employees, numbering about 300, returned home. The rope boys’ request was 'that electric light be installed in a small hut near the bins at Rewanui, which they use as a shelter during Crib time. The management did not consider the request justified and when its decision was given the rope boys did not start work. It is stated that the hut in question measures approximately , 10ft by Bft and is equipped with two windows, though the glass in one has been broken and the gap has been boarded up. The majority of the miners had reached their working places in the mine when the decisions of the rope boys was made known to them and they had to return to the surface. The executive of the Runanga State Miners’ Union is understood to be discussing the action of the rope boys at a meeting tonight. The Blackball State mine was also idle today after a stop-work meeting at the mine this morning. It is understood that two matters which have been in dispute between the union and the management for some time have now come to a head. One of the outstanding questions concerns the allocation of a departmental house which has become vacant. The union, it is stated, objects to the house being let to an underviewer in preference to a member of the union, though the house which the underviewer would vacate has been offered to the union member. The other question is concerned with the elimination of certain Saturday work which has led to dissatisfaction. Both questions were discussed at a special meeting of the union this afternoon.