WHAT THE MEN ARE ASKING

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1378, 2 March 1912, Page 5

WHAT THE MEN ARE ASKING

AN INTRICATE PROBLEM.' It is understood that the miners deflno the meaning of the minimum wago, for which they have decided to Btrike, as follows:— — 1. Tho descending of the pit and tho remaining at the coal face to do a day's work shall establish tho right of a workman to receive the average wage of the district. 2. A committee, consisting of an equal number of representatives, chosen by the owner and the workmen, shall _ bo appointed in every district to consider and determine any disputes as to, wages and working places. 3. The only exemptions from tho payment of the .average wages of a district shall bo in the case of workmen who, by reason of ago or physical infirmity, are unable to do a full day's work. Local committees to be formed to deal with points raised by cither 6ide regarding the working of a minimum wage scale. Exception from any minimum wage arrangement to extend not only to men in* capacitated' by age or infirmity, but to habitual malingerers, and men who do not put in some agreed percentage of time; the measure of a, day's work to be engaged upon an agreed number of tubs covering normal and abnormal places. The coalowners in many parts, however, liavo asserted that tho way out of the difficulty is not by way of tho minimum wage, but by an adequate scheme to deal with the hardship complained of by tho men, and admitted by tho employers—work in abnormal places. "Let the men," say the colliery proprietors, "join with us in devising a method to deal with these exceptions." One great difficulty, in arranging a settlement will be in reconciling the varying demands of the separate districts. Some idea of what this involves will be gained from the following particulars :— Scotland— Firemon at least 6s. per shift; roadmen at least ss. lOd. per shift; all other oncost workmen at least ss. 9d. per shift. Yorkshire.—Hewers, 8«. for all men who have worked at the coal faoe two years; datal men of various classes, 89. 6d. per day; chargemon, 7s. 6d. Lancashire.—Hewers, 7s. per day. exclusive of lamps, tools, and explosives. Derbyshire.—Hewers, Bs. per day, or an advance of about sd. upon current Tates. 1 h Notts—Hewers, Bs. 3d. and 7s. 9d. for all men working at tho coal face. Derbyshire (South).—Hewers, 7s. Gd., 6s. Gil., and 65., according to the class of work. Wales (North).—Hewers, 4s. Bd., plus 50 per cent.: shifters, 4a., plus 50 per cent.; surfacemen, 3s. 4d„ plus 50 per cent. Wales (South).—Hewers, Sa. per day; haulers. 75.; banksmen, 75.; screeners, 55..; Bhifters, 6s. Gd. Equal to an advance of from lOd. to Is. 3d. per day. Northumberband — Hewers,. 6s. Gd., exclusive of all tools, lamps, and explosives; stonemen, onsetters, chargomen, 6s. 6d. (including 30 por cent.). Durham.—Hewer3, 7s. per day; fillers, 7s. 6d.; stonemen, 6s. 2d.; wastemen, 4s. 10Jd.; shifters, ss. 13d.; ecreeners, 4s. 9d.

Speaking of the possibilities of a settlement, Mr. D. A. Thomas, managing director of the Cambrian Collieries Combine, and formerly Liberal M.P. for Cardiff, who is one of the outstanding figuros of the struggle, predicted in January that if a settlement was arrived at without a struggle, it would be upon the lines of improved payment to the men working under abnormal conditions, and the other compromise would be the levelling up of the lower-paid wage men. This had been suggested by himself several times. He spoke for himself, but in tho council room he would continue to raise the still small voice of reason in the direction of insisting upon some evidence that the men realised the sanctity of a bargain when it was once entered into, nnd also that the workmon might rely upon the fact that the coalownora would never agree to the minimum wage as they put it forward, and nover would consent to any arrangement under which the incentive or stimulus of the collier working in a place where he could not be supervised was to be removed.