THE COAL SETTLEMENT.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15318, 5 March 1920, Page 4

THE COAL SETTLEMENT.

An important feature of the settlement arrived at in the distputc 'bewteneo 'arrived-at in the dispute between employers and employees in the coalmining industry is that relating to minor disputes in the future., It is provided that any dispute which cannot be settled by the executive of the union and the management of the particular mine concerned, is to be immediately referred to the District Disputes Committee. The committee will consist of three representatives appointed by each i-dde, and will deal with any matter which has not been' settled by the means provided. Failing sebtlement of any dispute by the District Disputes Committee, it is to be .referred forthwith;., to the National Disputes Committee. The National Disputes Com* mittee will consist of three representatives appointed by the coalmine owners and three representatives appointed by the New Zealand Miners' Federation, and will deal with such matters as are referred to it by the District Disputes Committee. Either party will have the right to appeal to the National Disputes^ Committee from the decision of any District Disputes Committee. The decision of the National Disputes Committee is to .be final and binding on all parties' -to any dispute. The District "or National Disputes Committee may, if it be considered necessary, appoint a chairman, and in the event of both sides agreeing to refer the dispute to him for settlement., his decision is-to be final and binding on both parties. It is agreed by both parties to the above proposals that no strike, lock-out, go-slow, or unnecessary stoppage of work shall take place in any mine until the matter or matters m dispute have, been dealt with as provided for above, and that any decision of the National Disputes Committee shall be loyally accepted by all concerned. It is also agreed that nothing in any of the above provisions shall be so construed as to in any way interfere with or curtail the rights of coalmine managers or officials in their full and proper control of the working of the coal mines, nor shall anything be done to interfere with the recognised functions of local unions.