NEW ERA IN INDUSTRY

Chronicle (Levin), 6 May 1947, Page 5

NEW ERA IN INDUSTRY

i Press Assn.-

(Special Correspondent.)

Britain Gambles With Her Miners

Bv Teleciravl

•Covvriaht ■

Received Monday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, May 5. A new era 111 Britain 's indiistry begins this weekj. Hencefox'ward coal miners are to work only flve days weekly instead of five and a half. This is one of the most important decisions taken by the LabourGovernment and it has eai.sed some doubts among the public, in Q-overnment circles and even among some of the mineworkers. The Government has deelared that Britain requires at least 200,000,000 tons yearly to meet her minimum requirements and present production is 10,000,000 tons below that figure. The loss of half a day's work each week, it is estimated, may result in a reduetion of a further 18,000,000 tons annually. The question generally being asked is how tlie Government target of 200,000,000 tons, let alone the 220,000,000 target of the T.U.C. and F.B.I., is to he achieved. The answer'is the hope that the miners will now rcduce absentei'-" ism, in^rease their production and that more recruits will be attrncted to the mining industry. Apprekension Voiced. Will it worlc? - Even Mr. Sliinwell who has a reputation for optimistic j statements, has deelared to tiie Com- ! mons that he is apprehensive. '!I am wholly in favour of a five day week for miners and whatever happens i won't withdraw rny opinion, " he has staied. "i prefer to wait until the end of May before making up niy mind as to tlie effect on production. If it does not work out as we hoped, we shali have to come to Parliament and say soN' In Geneva, Mr. Arthur Hocner, gener&l seeretary of the British Mine \Vorkers' Federation, one of the most influeutial men in the coal mining inlustry, has echoed the public 's doubts. L'he theoretical reduetion of output by 18,000,000 tons, he said, would be -atastrophic if true. " We are determined, however, ' ' he added, " to sec^re Hie necessarv coal. target 011 an organised live day week which we think can cnable us to do better than vith a six day week. If, however, the experienee does not justify \tliis, we shall consider the position." Everything, af course, depends 011 the miners and to impress upon them the rravity of the situation, Lord Hyndley, •hairman of the National Coal Board, ,ias sent a-Jeaflet. -to ey.ery mi-newodiker, tirinted in blue, wliite and black, sayng: "It is up to you. " In recent mouths there has bepn some improvement in the iniues. Mr. Shinwell' has stated that in the iirst four nonths of this year 3,500,000 toiis more •oal were produced than in the corresponding period last." year and that since the beginning of the year there has >een a net recruitment of 18,000 men and boys to the mines. Yet production is still not enough to reach even tlie G-overnment 's tai'get. If 200,000,000 tons are to be mined this year, a weekly average output of 4,000,000 tons is required. This figure was only exeeeded twice this year. Dnring the first quarter the weekly average was 3,770,000 tons. Absenteeism, lower than last year, is still highland is deelared to cost more in terms of coal than the winter 's frost and flood. Faets such as these cause the introduction of the five day week to be Te--garded as a gamble. The miners, however, regard the new working week as a distinct break with the "bad old days" before the war. Yet in 1908 absenteeism was only 0.44 compared with 10.13 today, while the' output per man per shift was 1.14 compared with 1.05 today, a drop of nearly 2 cwt. It is calculated that if everv mine vorker reduced his absenteeism to 193S dandards and raised his worldng tenipo 'o the 1038 six day week levels, Britain's coal output wrould be raised by '5,000,000 tons annually. Production figures will be watehed mrefully during the coming weeks. Meanwhile British industry, as announced by »Sir Stafford Cripps, is to be •illowed as much coal as it used last •ummer and it is hoped that reserve ■tocks can be raised during these nonths from the present figure of 1,000,000 to 15,000,000 tons.