THE WAIHI STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 20, 21 May 1912, Page 3

THE WAIHI STRIKE.

THE SPREAD OF THE TROUBLI

{Per Press Association.)

Waihi, May 20. Mr McLennan, vice-president of the Miners’ 1 nion, who is in charge in Mr Parry’s absence, visited Paeroa this morning, ordering the union members working for the Waihi-Paeroa Cold

Extraction Company to knock cff. Consequently portions of the works arc being stopped. Mr McLennan asked the manager to compel every employee to become a member of the Wailii Alin ers’ Union, hut the manager refused. Meanwhile the majority of the men remain members of tbe Thames Union and under the Arbitration Act. The following arc further reason." adduced by the new union for sepai'at

mg from the Wailii Miners’ Workers’ Union: That, prior (o the cancellatior of the registration of the Miners’ Union under the Arbitration Act tin engine-drivers considered it advisable to form a separate union. At a conference with the Miners Union officials however, the latttr made such pro niises that we felt justified in allow ing the matter to lapse. Thus at tin outset wo desired separation. Tin ballots ior cancellation of the Union’s registration were conducted in a gross ly lax manner. Several ballots toolplace, the final one extending over ;

fortnight, and the ballot box was actually taken round to several shops, r, ■stead of being left in tbe hall undei supervision. To this Vve strongly oh jeeted. Since then the management of the Union’s affairs has been similarly hix an informal, to the materiadetriment of our concerns and inter-

psts. One instance of culpable neglect will suffice. In 1910 we were cirenlansed by tbs Engine-drivers’ Union of Now Zealand re suggested alteration to the Machinery Act, by whicl the status of the present first-das: certificate, covering any stationary land engine, would have been reduced to that of controlling -10 h.p. only. \V( made an immediate appeal to the union to enter a protest, but they merely referred tlie matter to the president who promised to negotiate. We had to be satisfied with the informatioi that the Federation’s solicitor had tin matter in hand, and were finally com "polled to take individual action on tin eve of the last session of Parliament Re the claims of the Union to obtaining an increase of wage, we were not beholden to the Union at all. Tin Waihi companies changed their haul age plants from small-geared engine; to large first-motion engines, whicl demanded 1 greate'r ski!! and elfjc icncy. On representation being made to tin, companies by the 1 drivers, independent of any Union or Federation, w< were immediately granted an increase of pay. Similarly, and independent of Until the Union and the Fedora tion of Locomotive Drivers the pump drivers and men working the Waikino gas producers obtained an increase. Now, as these increases were included in the last agreement, the M iners’ Union claims all the credit. The Union sought for drivers cf small engines an increase of 11s, but on meeting with a refusal surrendered the demand. Since then these drivers, apart from and independent of the Union, with the exception of one man who is still getting 10s, obtained their increase. The miners refused to submit themselves to medical examination, but, presumably to show their consistent unionism, Messrs Parry and Dougray did not hesitate to endorse the recommendation by the Miners’ Commissioner that winding enginedrivers should be submitted to an annua! examination, entailing expense and inconvenience. ,We have not the slightest objection to medical examination, but if examined why not those in a similar position, such as tramway inotormen, etc? On three occasions in fifteen months that we have been under the jurisdiction of the Federation strikes have hung in the balance. As engine-drivers must choose between conforming to the law and having their certificates dealt with our state of unrest has' been well-nigh intolerable, In direct opposition to the agreement, the Union forced engine-drivers who were not on the roll before the agreement was drawn up, to join the Union. The coercion was a threat of refusal to be lowered by non-members. This is a fair sample of the brand of libertypractised by the Waihi Miners’ Union.

Tu connection with the Waihi strike, which it is feared will spread to the gold-saving works at Paeroa, the secretary ,of the Thames Miners’ Union, which is registered under the Arbitration Act, received the following telegram from the secretary of the Waihi Miners’ Union: “Strike declared at Waihi. Paeroa Gold Extracting Works refrain from enrolling members in or from the locality. Advise your members of the Union to keep away.” To tin's the local secretary replied : “Cannot understand your wire re strike at Paeroa, which is in our district and outside your jurisdiction.” It is stated that there is growing unrest amongst the Karangafeake branch of the Miners' Union, the members of which steadfastly believe in the adoption of constitutional methods to secure redress for their grievances. THE STRIKE EXTENDING. Auckland, May L’O. The operations of the Strike Committee of the Waihi Miners’ Union have extended to Paeroa, and the Wei-hi-Pareroa Gold Extraction Company’s works have, in consequence, suspended work temporarily. Apparently, two officials of the Waihi Union presented an ultimatum to the company which could not lie complied with, ami when the manager of the company’s works at Paeroa refused the demand about 1-1 men “knocked off” work. The company, therefore, decided to suspend operations for a few davs, so

as to reorganise the new men that will be engaged.