COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20100, 2 December 1930, Page 11

COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

IMPROVEMENT IN POSITION. SYSTEM OF SPREAD-OVER HOURS (UNITED rSI3S ASSOCIATION —BY ELECTRIC nSLEORAI'H —COPYRIGHT.) (Received December Ist, 11.15 p.m.) LONDON. December 1. There is a general belief that, despite the attitude of tho Scottish miners, tho coal position improved during tho week-end. The miners are now persuaded that it is foolish to reject the spread-over of hours, which is acceptable in many districts. The danger of a national stoppage appears to be thus removed. GOVERNMENT APPEAI-S FOR TRUCE. EFFORTS TO AVOID STOPPAGE. IBEITISH OJSTCIAI, TUItELKSS.J RUGBY, November 'J9. The Government took prompt action following the unexpected decision reached by a majority vote of the Minors' Federation delegate conference refusing permission to districts to accept the spread-over of hours. A further meeting of the Federation has been fixed for Tuesday. The Coal Mines Act, which comes into operation on Monday, allows spread-over schemes to be operated in a district, but gives the Miners' Federation power of veto. This veto the Federation exercised, despite the fact that schemes had been _ accepted in five districts —North Wales, Cumberland, North Staffordshire, Leicestershire, and Bristol. It is understood that the Miners Federation reached its decision contrary to the advice of its officials. When the decision became known the president of the Board of Trade (Mr W. Graham) and the Secretary for Mines (Mr E. Shinwell) had a separate meeting with representatives of both the owners and the miners, after which the Government dispatched to the districts affected by the decision telegrams to the owners and to the workmen. Tho telegram to the owners read: "Hope you will arrange to meet the workmen and conclude temporary arrangements to continue work, pending a further conference of the Miners' Federation next week. Am advising tho workmen to approach you." The telegram to the workmen read: "Urge you to meet the employers and endeavour to arrange to work on Monday." The Miners' Federation sent a telegram to its district associations stating: "In view of the conference decision, advise you to approach the owners immediately to make temporary arrangements to work a 7i hours' week on the best terms obtainable for day to day contracts until after the further conference meeting next Thursday." The "Daily Herald," the Labour organ, expresses this view: "If a respite can be gained by preventing stoppages on Monday, there is every ground for the hope that before next week is out the Government's good offices will effect a general settlement." Following the Goi-ernment's appeal for a truce, meetings arc being arranged in the districts to-day. STOPPAGE IN SCOTLAND. WORK TO CONTINUE ELSEWHERE. RUGBY, November 30. It is now certain that in all mining areas except the Scottish coalfields work will continue as usual to-morrow. Saturday's, meeting of Scottish delegates, which decided to cease work, took place at the same time as a similar meeting at Cardiff among the South Wales mining _ delegates, where a decision to continue work was reached. South Wales is a much more important coalfield and, in fact, is regarded as the danger point of the situation. A settlement reached there provides grounds for expectation that to-morrow's meeting in Scotland will lead to a resumption of work. The Secretary of Mines, Mr E. Shinwell, in-a statement, said: "There will be no interference with normal transactions in coal and no interference with exports, and buyers of coal need be under no misapprehension about obtaining supplies. There will be an abundance of coal production." He pointed out that tho Government had been in constant touch with both sides during tho dispute, and mentioned that the National Industrial Board had made in regard to the Scottish appeal a similar recommendation to that in the case of South Wales, namely, that as a temporary settlement, pending negotiations, there should be no wage reductions and that the spread-over principle be adopted. Actually the agreement reached by the South Wales owners and miners provided for work on eleven days of eight hours daily during the fortnight. This gives 88 hours for a fortnight, as against the permissible 90 hours a fortnight if the 72-hour day per working week, as laid down by the new Coal Mines Act, is adhered to rigidly. BRIEF STOPPAGE EXPECTED THE MINISTER'S ASSURANCES. LONDON, November 30. The coal stoppage applies only to Scotland. It is expected to be brief, and it ia hoped that there will be a temporary resumption of the night shift on Monday, pending a meeting of the delegates on the same morning. Mr A. J. Cook (the miners' secretary) declares that there can be no national strike, pending a ballot vote in all districts. A great upheaval has for the present been averted. The next stage is the national conference on December 4th. "There is nothing to be alarmed about," said Mr E. Shinwell (Secretary of Mines). "Whatever happens, the trouble will be of short duration. The men have displayed great forbearance under trying circumstances."