COAL WORKERS' DEMANDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14235, 1 March 1917, Page 5

COAL WORKERS' DEMANDS.

STATEMENT BY MINE-OWNERS. ;l (P«t Press Aasoctatton.t WELLINGTON,- this day. The coal mine owners have issued a statement .concerning the conference, with; coal workers. They state that the Workers' Federation pressed for a dominion agreement/-- wkieh'-include^ *s&y«nteen> claims applying to all mines. These included 17^ per cent increase on the present rates of pay and drastic alterations m the working conditions. Six . representatives of each side were appointed to confer. On Monday the federation submitted amended claims, which did not modify the demands for increases iv pay.- The amended claims were considered and rejected by the owners, who submitted counter-proposals, which offered .aiWar bonus of 5 per cent to the! coal hewers arid truckers working onj contract, and 7i per cent to the wages'men. These concessions were estimated: to absorb between £^35,000 and £40,000: per annum if accepted. Theee- increases? make total war bonuses of 13. per. pent' to ; the .coal .hewers and .truckers wbrkv i ing on. contract, and 17£ per cent to wages men on: pre-war rates. A$ coal, I mining is i:tot generally profitable any. increases must necessarily be passed! ou to the public, meaning an increase ojj household coal of from 4s to Ss<*per ton. The federation intimated. l ifoatrlii . couldnot accept /.'the QwnersV 'proposals," jbiitj wo;itd submit them to the unions, which! they felt sure would support their de-. 'cision. ! . . '' • ' {,;{• '••I 1 > • ';|;