MINERS' WAGES

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13815, 20 July 1918, Page 5

MINERS' WAGES

WORKERS' POSITION EXPLAINED By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The coal miners' official statement of their attitude, signed by Messrs O'Rourke, Sempie and Parry, contends: "We have not asked for" a variation in the existing agreements in the nay the employers wish to imply. The only question is one of an adjustment of wages, which is imperative owing to the increased cost of living. The owners' suggestion of a bonus is condemned as a speeding-up expedient, and leading to increased accidents." In reply to the employers' statement that the miners' wages range from 17s to 25s daily, the miners point out that the average working days per annum are 24Q, and taking 19s l(Ud per shift, the actual earnings are £238 13s per annum, but from this has to be deducted £29 for explosives, light and tools. The miners' expenses and cost of living, based on budgets compiled by working miners' wives, are averaging in 1918 £219 3s 3d per annum to cover necessaries for a man, his wife and family of three children, but does not cover union fees, medical subscription, insurance association, and other incidentals, including recreation, all of which have to l)e met out of the balance of £l9 9s 9d per annum. The financial position of a miner in 1918 is 55 per cent, inferior to his position in 1914, and the only increase in wages since the war lias been on 17j per cent. A wages man on 12s a day in 1918 is worse off than when receiving 10s in 1914 by £37 3s 3d per annum. The miners to-day are producing more coal per man per day than at any time in the history oi the country. The output per man in New Zealand is ''a world's lecord." The increase in the trice of State coal for cash since 1912 in Wellington. Christchureh, Duncdi.i anil Wanganui lias ranged from 3s to fis per ton. while the increases by retail private ronipanies range from 6s Oil to 2Ss a. ton. The average increase in howiiu' rites lias licen lid to "xl. So far as the }linois' Federation is concerned it is -til! open for negotiations.