MINERS IDLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21560, 24 January 1940, Page 6

MINERS IDLE

Dispute On West Coast Question Of Holiday Pay By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH. January 23. An ultimatum has been issued by the Dobson miners that the mine will be idle to-merrow unless their demands for holiday pay are granted. The Wallsend Mine has been idle since yesterday morning through the same dispute, and the stoppage threatens to extend to other mines in the next few days. Surprise at the developments on the West Coast was expressed this morning by Mr C. C. Davis (president of the New Zealand Mine-Owners' Association). The question at issue had been referred to the National Disputes Committee, and with Mr J. Dowgray as an independent chairman the council had considered the matter all day on Thursday of last week, said Mr Davis. There had been three representatives each from the miners and the owners, he added, and a unanimous decision for settling the question had been arrived at.

The contention of the Wallsend miners is that to qualify for holiday pay for one day for each 20 or part thereof worked, the men should be employed for three months continuously. The employers claimed that under the existing agreement at least 181 days must be worked in the cqprse of a year before the men qualified for holiday wages. If a man worked his 181 days in 1938 he would, after three months' work in 1939, be entitled to pro rata holiday payment.

At the instigation of the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Disputes Committee considered the matter, said Mr Davis. The committee had taken a liberal interpretation of the clause, bracketing the working days in 1938 and 1939, and 1939 and 1940 Now a man w’ho. for instance, worked 175 days in one year would be entitled to 10 days' holiday pay when he had worked 25 days in the next year. He would then receive holiday pay for the succeeding working days in the usual manner. STATE MINES NOT AFFECTED By Telegraph—Press Association GREYMOUTH, January 23. Wallsend miners are on strike on the question of qualification for holiday pay. The Dobson mine will probably be idle to-morrow. It is reported that the Westport and Southland mines may adopt a similar action. The State mines are not affected. Holiday pay amounts to one day’s pav for every 20 day's or part worked. The miners claim that all men employed continuously for three months or more during the year are entitled to holiday pay. The companies maintain that under the existing agreement the men must have worked at least 181 days in the course of the year or have been employed continuously for 12 months. The National Disputes Committee upheld this claim at Christchurch last week. NO ACTION IN SOUTHLAND By Telegraph—Press Association INVERCARGILL January 23. “No action has been taken by Southland miners. The matter has not been discussed by them,” said Mr A. V. Prendiville, secretary of the Nightcaps Miners’ Union in an Interview this evening. He had no comment to make about the action taken on the West Coast.