MINE STOPPAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 225, 21 September 1940, Page 5

MINE STOPPAGE.

WAGES LOSS £2000. HUNTLY ACTION CONDEMNED. WELLINGTON", this Jay. The seriousness of stoppages of work in coal mines in war time is stressed in the unanimous decii-ion of the National Disputes Committee regarding the ilcDonald mine in wet-time payment to William Xuttall on one day in August, and the committee's division i« that the wet-time amount provided in the agreement be paid to him for this day. The committee points out that tlKdecision is not to l>e interpreted as a ruling that this job is to be considered a wet-time job on every day it is raining. The committee expresses tl»«* opinion that the dispute should have been capable <>f settlement by the local disputes commit tee at Iluntly.

There was. however, a much more seriotiii aspect of the ca<-e than the actual dispute. The mine was stopped and idle for three days, and after work was resumed and the disputes committee failed to reach agreement work was again stop;>ed on a trivial pretext. The mine, was idle for six days and the Glen Aft on mine for two days without any justification whatever. The loss of output was approximately (iOOO tons and tiie loss of wages, not !e-s than £2000. "Kven in ordinary times the action of those responsible in bringing about sucli a stoppage of work would be highly rcprthe.n>iblc, but the-e are not ordinary times."' the committee save. "It. is in the interest, of all parties that disputes Ik* settled promptly and reasonably, and that matters which are relatively unimportant should not lie aggravated in stu-h a way a- to create lio.-tile feelings unnecessarily. "Any pcivnns imt prepared to deai with disputes in th:«s reasonable v.iy are endangering the welfare of the wliol > mining community. It is urged on all parties that di-putes should be dealt with striciiy in accordati'V with the terms of the agreement, and that until the machinery provided in the agrcc.ment has been u-ed to tlie full no stoppage .-hall occur." —(Press Assn.)