WILSON’S COLLIERIES

Otago Witness, Issue 4041, 25 August 1931, Page 66

WILSON’S COLLIERIES

A STOPPAGE OF WORK - AUCKLAND, August 20. 'A serious situation developed at Wilson’s collieries, Hikurangi, this morning, when owing to a dispute with the management concerning pay, 178 men, including all branches of the mine staff, withdrew from the mine, and removed their tools and other belongings. As the mine has been left unattended there is a grave danger that the workings will be flooded and that other nearby mines will be affected. The miners are paid standard wages of 18s a day, less 10 per cent., provided that a satisfactory tonnage is produced. When the tonnage is less through no fault of the men the company makes up the wages to the standard rates. Earlier in the week some of the men did not earn standard wages, but the company refused to mike up the amount, considering that in this case the miners involved should have earned their wages and that it was through their own fault that they did not do so. Representatives of the mine union executive waited on the management yesterday and contended that the cause of the reduced tonnage was the difficult nature of the section at present being worked. Owing to the refusal of the company’ to make up their earnings to the standard wage all the miners ceased work yesterday afternoon. A deputation again waited on the management this morning and asked for reconsideration of the former decision. The management’s stand was maintained, and at a genera) meeting of all the union members it was decided that all the men should be withdrawn from the mine. As this decision includes boiler firemen, pump attendants, and engine drivers, the mine is left in a serious position. Unless the pumps are kept working the mine will be flooded and may jeopardise the safety of other workings in the vicinity.