COAL MINERS ADAMANT

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1947, Page 5

COAL MINERS ADAMANT

(N.Z.P~A>.—

■Reuter,

Strilte Has Cost 385,000 Tons 0| Goat

, Copyright)

Received Monday, 10.15 a.m. LONDQN, Sepo. 7. The Griinethorpe miners, after a meeting lasting nearly three hours, decided not to return to work. T'ne> reached this decision on a show oi hands. 1 The Minister of- Agriculture, Mr. 'Tom* Wii'iiams, who attended the meeting, condemned the decision as- very regrettable in view of the factors involved. The miners had ■ defied a unanimous go back call from their own area union. "The miners are saying the whole trouble is that the Coal Board won't climb down, though they can see they are in the wrong. We are determined they mu&t admit their mistake. This grievance would have been settled in a day under private ownership. The board must realise it is impossible for older men, to do 23 feet of coal shifting in a day." The National Coal Board announced that 29 pits were compietely idle, ten were partly idle a.nc six had resumed. It is estimated that the dispute has cost 385,000 toris of coal. A total of 750 miners at PrioijjColliery, Blantyre, have decided tc resume tomorrow after a ten-day s.trike oye^ a local issue.