THE MINIMUM WAGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 59, 5 March 1912, Page 7

THE MINIMUM WAGE.

The following manifesto issued In the Northumberland colliery owner last month shows the attitude take up by the employers on the questio of the minimum wage, the refusal c which threatens to lead to a genera strike of miners : The proposed system of payment o a fixed minimum rate of wage t( each person working in the mines irrespective of the amount of worl performed, is one which is quite ira practicable and cannot be conceded The general and recognised syston which has always existed of paying the persons employed in getting coal in proportion to the amount of wort performed is one which is essential to the continued satisfactory working of the mines, and to accept the proposal that each person employee should be guaranteed a fixed mini mum wage, whether the amount ol work performed by him be much oj . little, would remove the necessary in centivo which at present exists foi each workman to do the best within his power. The proposal which is placed before the Northumberland coal owners by the workmen’s representatives not only involves the principle of an individual minimum rate of wage, hut demands also that the bowers’ minimum should actually bo in excess of the present avehige counti rate, which is based upon piece-work prices, while the proposals with respect to other classes represent increases varying up to forty per ccnl above existing ’ rates. ' The'wages earned by the miners in' recent years are vfety much highei than those prevailing at the time when the basis was fixed, and in addition the general costs of working the mines have been and are gradually increasing. The amount produced per day per person employed has fallen from 1.31 ton in 1879 to 0.93 in 1910, the latest year for which 1 the figures are aypilahle, oi 1 va - reduction of 29 per pent. This alone represents a very heavy extra cost to the owners, and legislation .ismeonstantly adding to the obligations of the employer. The Compensation Acts, the Eight Hours Act, and the increasing local rates have involved large additions to the cost, and the new Mines Act and the Insurance Act will still further add to the burdens on the trade. Those additions' to the cost of producing coal are more serious in the county of Northumberland, which is almost entirely dependent on the export of coal than in those districts which have the command of internal markets, and the further very heavy additional cost which would result from the adoption of the workmen’s proposal would render it absolutely impossible to maintain the position of the county in the face of the largely increasing foreign competition, and would lead to the closing of many of the collieries. The owners are fully desirous of meeting the wish of their workmen that each person in their employment should receive a fair day’s wage, and would be billing to discuss such modifications, if any, as are necessary in the existing arrangements to determine how this is to he arrived at. But they are convinced that tho principle of payment in proportion to the amount of work performed is the only one which can he applied successfully in the case of coal-getters. They aro aware that there are cases in which, owing to difficulties arising on account of exceptional conditions in a working place, ,a man, while doing his best, is still unable to earn what ho would under ordinary circumstances. In such cases the owners have always recognised the necessity for

special consideration, and, so far as their experience goes, they are not nvare that complaints exist as to the r.eans of settling such questions, but they have already advised the workmen’s representatives that if proposals are brought before them for alterations or , amendments in the present ’system they will always lie willing’to give them the fullest consideration. The owners are now, however, being pressed to adopt a system under which persons who are either unable or unwilling to perform a fair day’s work should be placed in the same position as those who are more skilful or industrious in carrying out their duties. This is a proposal to which they are not prepared to assent, as they are satisfied that its adoption would he seriously detrimental to the industry and to the workmen themselves. The owners are fully aware that the stoppage of the mines of the country would be a national calamity of serious magnitude, and they are naturally disposed to do all in their power to prevent it. But they are convinced that the proposal put before them is impracticable, and they cannot accept any responsibility for the consequences which might arise if a stoppage should result through the workmen endeavouring to enforce Hs adoption.