STRIKE CALLED OFF

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5879, 6 April 1920, Page 2

STRIKE CALLED OFF

MINE-OWNERS’ TERMS ACCEPTED RESULT OF THE BALLOT BIG MAJORITY FAVOUR SETTLEMENT. WORK RESUMED TO-DAY.

A ballot of rnembes of the Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Union of Workers to decide whether the terms of the mine owners for a new industrial agreement in connection with the gold mining industry on the Waihi field should be accepted or rejected was taken on Saturday. The revised offer on the part of tine owneres followed on the recent conference between the Pinions to the dispute (engineers and miners) and the neprssetatives of tire mine owners—with Mr Hally as chairman—arranged by the Prime Minister after the visit to Wellington of a Waihi delegation consisting of the Mayor. Mr D. Donaldson, and Mr G. Mathiesom, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Who placed the position fully before Mr Massey. The full text of the agreement was published in the columns of the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, but in view of the result it would not bo amiss to refer again briefly to the more important points involved in the dispute when the deadlock was reached, and there appeared prospects, in the absence of a speedy settlement of the strike, of serious disaster, even to the point of ruin, overtaking the town.

DEMANDS AND CONCESSIONS. The delegates to the conference on behalf of the Ohineniuri hrach of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, whose members had already announced a willingness to accept an offer of 2s per hour for ordinary hours worked—subject to tire owners increasing the amount in the event of an Increase being made to the ’trade at a sitting of the Arbitration Court in Auckland at an early date—were insisting on the payment of overtime at the rate of time and a half for the first three hours after the ordinary day's work, with double time thereafter, and also for double time for Sunday .and holiday work. Tin? main demand by the Miners’ Union was tior a minimum wage of 16s 8d for all classes of Workers. The dispute With the engineers was first adjusted by the mine owners conceding the demands made on behalf of the mom, but a proviso y/ns inserted on behalf of the workers in this particular branch of the industry to the effect that the members of the union wbuld not resume work until such time as a satisfactory agreement was entered iinto between the owfaers and tlie miners. Then followed further negotiations between the representatives of the remaining disputant parties as an upshot of which the owners, who had previously undertaken to, and were paying 12s 3d daily to wages men for a six-hour week, increased their offer to a minimum of 15s for all eight-hour day, which meant £1 2s 6d weekly against the I*3 13s 6d being paid, an advance of Is 6d per day or 9s per week. This offer was made on the understanding that it should include a|i advance of twopence hourly foreshadowed by the Court 'of Atlntraiion as likely to bo made at an early date in consequence o fthe in creased cost of 'living.

THE BALLOT FIGURES. There were Hie main points before the meia when they were called upon to reach a decision in the secret ballot car Saturday, and although there vyero some who intimated a disinclination to accept tire conditions offered the general feeling was that a settlement would result. This latter view proved correct, the majority favouring acceptance numbering 210. At the same time the poll was by po myans as larga as might have bosi.i anticipated in view of the importance of the matter at issue, as with a total of 316 votes east it would seem that pot more than half the number of the men interested could have exercised their privileges, This is to some extent accounted for by the fact that some cf the ‘workers bad been drifting away to take up work elsewhere, presumably under the iinpressi'oa that an early solution of the difficulty was not likely, but their numbers would not approach withj(.i measurable distance the discrepancy between Hie votes polled and the incraiyej.d'ip of the union a't AVaiihi and Wailsj-no. The actual (igur.es «lero as under IM-

For acceptance. Against. W.'iilii 244 40 Waikino 49 3 293 o 3 Majority lor acceptance, 210. PERIOD OF AGREEMENT. Following the decision of the men to iu-erpt the terms oll'cml a general mcet'ing of members of the Oliinemuri Mines a,ml flatteries Union was held on Saturday evening jo consider the question as to the, duration of the Uj,w agreeinoj.it. Therp is said to have, been differences of opinion on this point, but it was ultimately decided that the agreement should be observed for a period < 1 twelve months. This corresponds with the time fixed for the agreement which rocor.tly expired, and as jin the ease of the presitiit understanding was reached by conferences between the parties to the dispute.

the fact that the income ’of the borougfa had been so depleted by the loss of gold revenue that it was found impossible to carry on ordinary maiiitenaifice works pendi/ag a resumption of the mining industry. As no remittances to the district fund account will be made for Some little time by the Treasury on account of gold duty, the Council will not be able to put the mdn on again immediately, but it should not bo long before they are again back in their old posts.

MR HALLY INTERVIEWED. WELL SATISFIED WITH RESULT. THE INCREASES WARRANTED. Interviewed to-day by our represent;! live Mr P. Hally, who acted as chairman during the recent crisis, stated m answer t'o questions:—“l was satisfied with the, results of the conference bctwepn the parties. It was Imped that tine men would receive an increase in wa t ',( s. and It seemed /inevitable that such should be the case, as many men in the district, especially married men, in common with throughout the D):minion, were (feeling the i lncreased cost of b'.vihg very much. It. is unfortunate that the employers could not do, as is done i;n oilier businesses, pass the increased dost of production on to someone else. This of course cannot be done with gold, it having a fixed standard of value. It is therefore to be hoped that the increased rate of wages will toad to better efficiency on the part of the work' era so that the mine owners will have son c compensation for the extra wages they will now be called up to pay to Durr men.

“The strike sb far as the conduct of the men was concerned was excellent. I was a frequent observer of these nun While they, were walking about idle. I did not notice anything but good order, no drunkenness, and nothing was suggested that would in any way tend towards rowdyism. The feeling of tile employers’ representatives and that ol the men who represented the ulaion towards each other was of a most friendly character, so much so that it might have been easily possible for them to have reached the same results without the aid of myself or any other chairman. The case of the men was well placed and in capable hands, men who were exj cr.i'accd miners, and who could express their ideas In a cool and understandable manner. In fact, I have had as much experience as most people in adjusting these major disputes, and I. cal.i say with truth that I have never seen men discuss terms with their employers to better advantage than the representatives of the Waihi miners.

“As to how the happy ending of this trouble was brought about it is the olid story. In this case the employers met the nicfa in a gcVod spirit, and wherever they were able they made the advance. I was struck in, a, special manner by the fact that where it was bVought under the notice of the employers that several men were entitled to more wages on account of service, etc., the chairman of the employers (Air Chas. Rhodes) a)ad his colleagues, including Air Leah, alt once made inquiry as to the facts, and without loss of time gave instructions that these men should be treated in a proper manner. Persdnally I am pleased that the trouble is over, and J hope it will be very many years before I again have any business in AYaihi of a similar nature as that upon which I was 'employed last week. I also ’wish to express my thanks to His Worship the Mayor aJad the president of the Chamber of Commerce for their able nssistjvnee; also to the employers and miners for the consideration extended to mo during the proceedings, and I trust that peace and prosperity will now reigf.i over Waihi and its people fer many years to come.