THE COAL SUPPLY.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18691, 18 July 1932, Page 8

THE COAL SUPPLY.

"BLACK” SATURDAY. MEN REFUSE TO WORK. NEW AGREEMENT BROKEN. HUNTLY, 'Monday. Notices were posted on Friday that the Rotowaro, Pukemlro and Renown mines would be open on Saturday morning, but no miners put in an appearance,. Numbers of truckers and other hands reported for work, but their services oould not be used. For a number of years agreements between the mine owners and the men have provided for a working period of il days. No work is done on the Saturday following the fortnightly pay-day, but the alternate or “ black ” Saturday has been, and still is, recognised on paper as a working day of six hours, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the ordinary working day being of eight hours. Ilqwe'ver, in spite of the agreement, the men have long refused to work on Saturdays, saying that the six hours’ work mentioned interferes with football and other outdoor sports. On this occasion the owners sought to work the mines because there was a heavy accumulation of orders due to the strike. The miners, however, declined to give effe,ct to the clause, which had been lifted from the old agreement into the new. A meeting of the Miners’ Distriot Council was held to consider 'the position of the men who were filling- slack during the strike period, the employment of whom was considered to ha illegal by the union. Their dismissal has been requested. THE MINES OPERATING. MEN RESUME THIS MORNING. (Special to Times.) HUNTLY, Monday. , The Renown, Rotowaro and Pukemiro mines resumed operations this morning.