THE COAL MINE DISPUTE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 38, 18 May 1917, Page 8

THE COAL MINE DISPUTE.

EMPLOYERS’ FINAL OFFER,

NOT ACCEPTED BY MINERS,

The “N. Z. Times” reports: — As a result of the conference held on Friday last between the representatives of the coal-mine owners and the delegates of the Miners' Federation, an oiler of 74 per cent, in addition to the already existing war bonus of 10 per cent, on the pre-war rates, was made by the employers. _ The offer, when placed before the miners’ delegates, was not accepted, and they stated that they would not recommend its acceptance by the unions. On Saturday the employers’ representatives made the following statement regarding the position: — “One of the conditions of the agreement recently made between the Government and the representatives of the Now Zealand Coal Mine Workers’ Federation being that a further conference of the parties should bo hold, the conference took place at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Friday last, May Ilth. Both sides were fully represented, practically the whole of the coal-mining companies and the minors of the Dominion having delegates present. “Mr T. Shailer Weston, president of the Now Zealand Employers’ Federation, presided. Mr E. W. Alison, president of the New Zealand Coalmine Owners’ Association, acted as chief spokesman for the employers, while the principal speakers for the Miners’ Federation were Messrs Jones Arbuckie, Coppersmith, and Dowgray. “At the previous conference held in February, and which extended over eight days, the federation submitted demands consisting of seventeen clauses, with the intention of securing a Dominion agreement having application to all the mines. The claims included one for 174 per cent, increase in wages on existing rates of pay, equal to 274 per cent, on pre-war rates, while others of the demands proposed drastic alterations in working conditions, which would still further and substantially increase the cost of production. At the conclusion of that conference the federation submitted eight clauses, which they insisted must be included in every agreement throughout the Dominion. “The employers could not see their way to accede to these demands, and presented counter- proposals, including one for a 5 per cent, war bonus to contract workers and 74 per cent, to all wages men, in addition to the already existing war bonus of 10 per cent, on pre-war rates. The federation representatives declined to accept the employers’ proposals as a settlement of the difficulty, thus terminating the conference.

LAST WEEK’S PROPOSALS. ‘ ‘ When the parties met last Friday morning, tho federation submitted for consideration by tho employers, not only the 17 clauses previously dealt with, but three others in addition, and strongly urged that the whole of these should be again discussed, including, of course, the original demand for 174 per cent, increase in present rates of pay. “As the 17 clauses originally proposed by the federation have been exhaustively discussed at the previous conference, the employers were of the opinion it would be a waste of time to again consider them. “The employers then retired to consider the position, and on their return intimated that owing to the diverse natural conditions, tho different classes of coal, and the varied methods of mining, it was impracticable to adopt any one set of working conditions to apply to all mines. “Further, they saw no reason why the existing working conditions which have been framed as the result of experience by experts on both sides, and which are not in any way affected by war conditions, should be altered, especially as tho miners in New Zealand are probably working _ under better conditions than those in any other part of the world. ‘ ‘ The employers then submitted the following offer to tho federation:That subject to working conditions in all mines remaining as at pro-' sent, tho coal mine owners offer an additional war bonus on pre-war rates of 74 per cent, to wages men making with the 10 per cent, war bonus previously granted 174 p.c. increase to contract workers and 20 per cent, increase to wages men on pre-war rates. This agreement to remain in force during the war and

for six months thereafter. “It was also intimated that the above represented the utmost to which employers were prepared to go and must be accepted as their final miners' representatives then retired to consider the employers’ proposal and on their return suggested that the coal mine owners should reconsider their decision and intimated they were prepared to withdraw _ their full schedule of claims and to discuss with employers the eight clauses which at the last conference they insisted should be included in every agreement. The coal inino owners, however, declined to consider the suggestion of the miners ’ delegates, and again intimated that the offer which had been submitted was definite and absolutely final. “The Minors’ Federation representatives then stated they could not agree to the proposal, and would not recommend its acceptance by the unions. The minors’ delegates then withdrew and the conference ternunatNO NECESSITY FOR CHANGE. ‘‘ In arriving at the decisions contained in the offer to the federation, the coal miners gave the fullest consideration to all the facts in connection witb. the matter. As the orkiiig conditions of the mines throughout are so favourable to the workers and are unaffected by the war, there is not any necessity to make any alterations in the present well-established conditions. “In view of the high wages earned bv miners previous to the ‘go-slow policy being adopted, the employers cannot admit that there is any reason why rates of pay should be increased. Any increase granted must be passed on to the general public in consequence of coal mining generally being unprofitable, as is evidenced by the fact that the majority of the coal mines of the Dominion have not made adequate return on the capital invested, many of the leading companys not having paid dividends for a number of years. . “Notwithstanding this, however, the coal mine owners realise that the present war conditions render it essential that any possible grievance, so far as the wages are concerned, should bo removed, and decided, therefore, to agree to pay an additional war bonus, which would result in the pay of miners being raised 17i per cent, to 20 per cent, since the beginning of the war. “If the offer of the additional war bonus had been accepted, it would have meant the distribution of at least an additional £63,000 per annum amongst the coal mine workers of the Dominion. This with the 10 per cent, war bonus granted last year means that altogether an additional £135,000 per annum over pre-war rates would be paid in wages, the whole of which would have to come out of the pockets of the coal consumers of the Domin10“The employers feel that the offer made is a liberal -one, that they arc justified, in the public interest, in declining to do anything which would still further increase the price of coal, and that if the offer is not accepted by the unions, the only course for them to adopt is to take the necessary steps to have the matter in dispute dealt with under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, a course which the miners’ delegates have persistently opposed. ’’ On Saturday evening the miners’ delegates waited upon the Government, and it is understood that the mine owners are to be asked to consider proposals that were then brought forward.