GREEN ISLAND MINERS' STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 41

GREEN ISLAND MINERS' STRIKE.

The Green Island miners adhere to their decision not to resume work until the employers grant them a conference. The latest development was that the secretary of the union received the following letter, signed by Mr A. S. Bremner on behalf of the Green Island coal mine owners: "In the interests of the general public, apart from your own interests, we are prepared to meet members of your union on the following conditions: — 'l. That ycur members resume work within foj.tr days from the date of this letter. '|2. That they also subscribe to the conditions of the existing agreement. "3. That in consideration of above the mine owners are prepared to meet the representatives of tlie miners in conference within one week from the resumption of work to discuss any matters which, in the opinion of the Miners' Union, require adjustment. "In making the above offer the mine owners desire it to be understood that they do not commit themselves to an opinion on the merits of any dispute, and are also of opinion that the conditions of the-existing agreement, solemnly entered into, should be carried out, and feel that this is an honourable statement of the jposition. Their only desire is, if possible, in the best interests of the community and all concerned, to end the deadlock which has arisen."

This letter was considered at a fullyattended meeting of the miners in the Fairfield School on the 12th. Mr A. Dolheguy (vi of the union) was in the chair. It was unanimously resolved not to resume work until a conference has been held.

In the course of the discussion the attitude which the miners have taken was explained. It was stated that, in the first place, when the first stop-work meeting was held, it was decided that if a conference was granted by the employers the men would resume work pending such a conference. It was not granted. At the present stage the stoppage had developed into a strike. The miners had been out for five weeks, and other matters had cropped up and required' to be dealt with, apart from the original causes of dispute. It was considered best in the interests of all to demand a conference before a resumption, of work was conceded. "The sooner a conference is held, the sooner the men will resume work," remarked one speaker.

About seven months ago, said one oi those present, the Employers' .Federation and the Miners' Federation _ met in Wellington, and formulated the idea of dispute committees, to which disputes should be referred, three, representatives from each side to form a committee. The Green Island Union formed a dispute committee — the first in Otago,—andsitpproached the company before the stop-work meeting with a request for a conference, but this request was refused. "We are up against the obsolete methods that are being used in producing the coal," said another member of the union, "If these methods were altered in the direction wo advocate, wo could guarantee a greater output of coal from the mine. Yet they are importing miners from Australia to increase the output!" "And they put off men from the State mine, on the West Coast!" was an interjection.

It was stated that in the Green Island mine the miners had had to do their own trucking. They did four hours at the face and four hours at the trucks. They wanted the mining and the trucking to be distinct occupations, and claimed that if this were so the miners would bo ablo to cam more, and the output of coal would be largely increased, since the men could bo hewinp during the time they at present spent in trucking. Another grievance- was what they considered an obsolete method of classing' the coal into three grades. One shilling and twopence a- box wa3 paid for hand-filled. Sid for fork-filled, and 4d for shoyel-filled coal. In other mines, it was stated, there was only one olass of coal, with the result that tha miner did not waste jijme in classi-

fication, and could thus make a greater output, and incidentally earn more. The conditions that were sought were, it was further stated, at present in operation at Gray's Fernhill mine and at the Brighton mine. The Fernhill miners had come out with the Green Island men, but had been granted the conditions asked for, and had resumed work with the permission of the union. There had been no necessity for the Brighton men to come because the conditions asked for had been instituted at that mine, and, as a matter of fact, the union had allowed men from the Green Island mine to go to work at Brighton. The meeting was very solid, and there appeared every indication that the men are firmly united "to obtain a conference before any resumption of work will be considered. ATTITUDE OF KAITANGATA MINERS. Tho following resolution was carried at a meeting of the Kaitangata Miners' Union on Friday evening:—"As the Green Island employers wore requested by their employees to meet in conference with a view to the settlement of a dispute, and have failed to meet the men or have the dispute placed before a disputes board for settlement, we, the members of the Kaitangata Miners' Union, strongly resent the attitude of the employers, whose action we regard as a deliberate broach ■of the terms of the agreement entered into last September. As the request of the men was lodged four or five weeks previous to a stoppage of work, the employers' attitude calls for severe condemnation."