THE COAL MINES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 272, 13 August 1919, Page 8

THE COAL MINES

CONFERENCE ABORTIVE

OWNERS' OFFER REJECTED

AN APPEAL TO THE MEN

The conference which has been sitting for nearly a fortnight to try to settle the coal miners' dispute has tnded withunt result. The coal mine owners made a final offer on Saturday to the representatives of the federation, and this offer the federation rejected. The following report has been supplied by the Now Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association :—

The committee which was set up to deal with tho matters in dispute between the Now Zealand Coal Mine Owners' \seociation and the New. Zealand Miners' Federation concluded its busiuess yesterday afternoon without arranging a settlement. The following proposals were submitted by the employers:— Wages—lncrease of 10 per cent, to piece workers and 15 per cent, to wages men, making a total of 35 per cent, to piece workers and 45 per cent, to wages men during tho war period. Weekly Pay .--Cannot be conceded. Bxtrn 'Pay 'for Back Shifls.-Canuot bo conceded.

Wet Places.—To remain as in present agreements. Waterproof Covering—Provision' of waterproof covering to be dealt with by manager, as. in the past, and not to be 'provided for in the agreement. Drinking Water.—Drinking water to be provided in the mines. Suitable arrangements to be made by mine managers. No Trucking by Miners.—To remain as in present agreements. Holidays.—Christmas and New Year holidays, December 24 to January 4, inclusive. Easter Holidays.—To be left as per present agreements. Other Holidays. —As per existing agreements. Should any agreement holiday fall on a Sunday, another day to be substituted as may be mutually arranged. The words "or pay Saturday" to be struck out. Payment on Sundays or agreement holidays to be timo and a half, as per Coal Mines Act. • Laying Bails—Short rails agreed to. Preference.—To remain as in present agreements.. Tools, etc.—Tools, to be sold to miners at cost price. Other items to bo struck out.

Funerals.—To remain as in present agreements.

Injured Workers.—Adoption of Westport Company's clause will be agreed to. '

Additional Clauses Proposed by Employers.

Men Going on Coal.—Pukehiiro clause regarding the employment of miners to be insorted in the new agreement, viz., in tho event of a vacancy occurring on the.coal, any trucker over the ago of 20 years shall have tho right to ballot for such vacancy provided he has been cmployed for two years in tho mine, and provided also that atcer tho ballot ho shall have an experienced miner working with him on the coal for six months; provided also that not more than two truckers shall have the right to ballot during any quarter. This clause shall not apply to experienced adult miners, who shall have the right to go on tho coal with the consent of the manager. Labour for Mines.—lt must bo a condition of this agreement that the New Zealand Miners' Federation shall undertake to adviso the Australian Miners' Federation that there is now no reason why' Australian miners should not come to' New Zealand; and shall further undertake to. place no obstacle in the way of the mine owners obtaining such labour as may be necessary for the proper manning of the mines.

Existing Agreements—That existing agreements, the terms of which have not expired, shall remain as agreed upon for the terms of such agreements. Observance of Agreements'—lt shall bo agreed that no further demands shall be made during the currency of any agreement which may bo made as tho result of the' conference.

Officials—No officials' to be members of Iho union.

Disputes Committees.—The provisions for the settlement of .disputes to remain the same as provided in .September, 191S, .assecment, if it is agreed that disputes committees are not to be made the means of securing- alterations to existing agreements, but are only, for the purpose of settling disputes as to the interpretation of. the clauses of the respective agreements and the conditions of work thereunder, or for dealing with matters not provided for in the agreements. Term of Agreement.—Three years. Miners' Counter Proposals. Tho Miners' Federation representatives j finally submitted tho following proposals as being the minimum terms upon which a settlement would be agreed to:— 1. That truckers and horse drivers be paid lis. (id. per day. 2. That men in charge of rope road bo paid 17s. 9d. per day. 3. Hope road workers 19 years and' over 17s. fid. per day; 18 to 19 years, Ids. 7d. per day; 17 to 18 years, 12s. lid. per day; 16 to 17 years, lis. 3d. per day; 15 to 1G years, 9s. 9d. per day. i 4. Screen workers: 19 years and ovor, lGs. 3d. per day; 18 to 19 years, 13s. 9d. pei- day; 17 to 18 years, 12s. 2d. per day; 1G to 17 years, 9s. sd. per day; 15 to 16 years, 9s. per day; 15 years, 7s. 3d. per day. 5. Tippers to be paid 16s. 3d. per day. 6. Lamp trimmers to be paid 16s. 3d. per day. ( 7. Carpeifters to he paid 18s. 4d. per day.

8. Blacksmiths and tool sharpeners to D 6 paid 18s. 4(1. per day. 9. Shiftmen to be paid ISs. 4d. per day. 10. Youths to be paid as per scale. 11. Yardmen and other outside workers not specified IGs. 3d. per clay. 12. Any worker employed on back shifts to receive 10 per cent, nbovo schedule rates. Any worker on night shift to receive 15 per cent, above schedule rales.

13. Hours of work in wet places shall lie six hours bank to bank. Should any dispute arise regarding a wet place same to be settled by the manager and check inspectors. »

14. Company to provide suitablo waterproof covering where necessary.

15. A plentiful supply of drinking wafer to be provided in each mine. 1(1. No trucking to.bo done by miners.

17. (a) Christmas holidays to he from December 23 to January 5, both days inclusive.

\h) Easter holidays as per existing agreements.

(c) Other holidays to be May Day (first May), St. Patrick's Day and Labour Day.

(d) Should any agreement holidays fall on a Sunday or r-ay Saturday another day to he substituted as may he mutually arranged. ■ ' (e) Any person employed on Sundays or agreement holidays to be paid timo and a-lmlf.

18. All rails to be laid by roadmen, short rails to bo provided for eacji placo. 19. If any employer shall employ any worker who is not a member of tho union and who within fourteen days aftor his engagement does not become a member of the union and remain such member, tho employer shall dismiss such worker from his servioo if requested to do so by the union. 20. Company to provido free light-, tools, and house coal to all worker'.

21. Kmployoi-s shall pay for time lost in conveying or attending injured workers.

22. Back Saturday: 7 hours' day shift, 6 hours' back shift.

23. An additional increase of 25 per cent, on all rates not contained in thi> following clauses, the wholo to become a Hat rate.

24. Timbering: All sets to bo pnid ss. 3d. per set up to Sin. in diameter in centre: Sin. and ovor in diameter l/i be paiil for at the rate of 7s. (Id. Close lathing Is. (id. per sot extra. Renewing props up to Bft., Bd., and Bft. and over, Is. Gd.

2"i. All splits through pillars to be paid solid rates. A place with two fast sides shall constitute n split. 2fi.. Coal left on bottom nf slits and incline or levels: When miurrs arc ordered to leave coal on bottom of slits inclines, or levels at the renucst of Hie. manager, fis. per yard shall bo paid, where coal is left on the whole width of the place, hut should coal be loft on only half of tho width of the place, 3s. per yard shall bo paid.

27. Dirt Scale: Stone in coal or on top of coal which cannot bo kept up in places sft. high, to bo paid for at the rato of lid. per ton per inch, for tin. first 2in.,~and 3d. per ton per inch for every additional inch, and ill places where coal is above oft. high the stone shall be paid for at |d. per ton per inch. This clause to apply only to, mines where inch measurement is paid. Payment on account of stono is made as rcnuuiei'ivtion for picking it from the coal. Places to bo measured one foot from eacli rib and in centre. Thickness of stono to bo deducted from measurement of coal. Should, any dispute arise in connection with this clause the case shall be decided between the management and check inspectors. 28. Minimum Wage: Miners working on tonnage rate 3 who shall bo unable to earn an average of at least 18s. per shift for each fortnightly period, shall be paid 6uch amount as may be necessary to bring up their earnings to such average. 29. 'Casual Shiftmen: .When miners are getting coal on tonnage rates are required to work shift work they shall bo paid 20s. per shift or their average of their working place if above 20s. 30. Breasting tops: When breasting tops with two fast sides, solid tonnage rates shall bo paid. When miners are ordered to break into tops ISs. 9d. snail Ije paid, ; .„,-.,. 31. Overtime: Overtime slui.ll be paid at the rate of time and a half for the nrst two hours and double time thereafter. 32. All other conditions operating .in tho different mines shall, subject to tho rates of wages contained in clause 1 hereof, remain as at present or until superseded by another agreement, (b) llio conditions of settling disputes to remain tho same as provided for in September, 1918, agreement. Employers' Reply. The following reply wns made to the federation's proposals-.— The coal mine owners have given careful consideration to the representations of the Miners*' Federation with reference to tie proposals submitted for the framing of a new industrial agreement. It is true that the offer made by the employers is mainly expressed in increased wages, rather than in drastic alterations lu the conditions of employment. The increase offered, however, of a 10 per cent, advance to contract workers aud 15 per cent, to all da.y workers represents the distribution of a further sunr amounting to from .£125,000 to ,£150,000 per annum in wages, and makes tho bonus 35 per cent, aud 45 per cent, respectively on pre-war rates. This would be a very heavy burden upon the public, and will be further accentuated by increased freights, etc... on tho coal carrying—the whole resulting in a further advance in the price of coal of 2s. Od. to 3s. per ton. All the demands have been carefully considered, and whero these would result in further reducing the limited output of coal have had to be refused, In granting tho further substantial increase of wages it was intended that this should be an adequate nuid pro quo. Owing to the varying conditions prevailing in the different districts and mines, a national .(agreement covering the whole industry is not practicable, and niako it. necessary for local variations to be controlled by the respective managers and unions. The alterations which havo been made in the Coal Mines Act from time to time and the changes previously made in working conditions have in our opinion removed all serious causes of complaint in connection with the industry and v the coal iniiio owners after very careful consideration regret they are unable'to increase their offer, and therefore trust it will bo accepted by' the federation as a settlement of the difficulty. National Agreement Not Feasible, Hon. E. W. Alison said: Tho demands made by tho federation provide for a national agreement to apply to all mines. It is found, however, that owing to tho widely differing natural conditions which exist, mines have of necessity to be worked under different methods, which precludes the possibility of fixed working conditions being made which shall apply alike to, all mines, aud be embodied in a national agreement, as to do so would undoubtedly impose such a burden on some of the mines as to prove ruinous to them. The employers aire therefore compelled to say 'that they cannot agree to terms covering the whole Dominion, aud that the settlement of the working conditions in mines must bq left as hitherto to tho respective companies and unions.

Concessions Granted Last September. It is well to remind the federation that an. agreemont was arrived at last September, when considerable concessions were granted which involved au additional expenfittui'e of over i'IOO.COO per annum, whichi of course, Meditated advance in tho price of coal. It has resulted in mine workers being auto to earn high wages, in spite of this we are again faced with demands for further substantial increases in wages, and changes iu working conditions exclusive or tho six principal demands which would result in such ai. additional cost In production as would necessitate tho price of coal lieing again considerably raised. That being the case, the coal mine owners find themselves unab e to concede the demands but have made proposals which it is hoped will secure u se'ttte'ment of the uTSciSty.

Why Increases Were Offered,

'While employers contend I hat no reason exists for increased wages at tho present' time, they recognise the necessity of doing everything possible to prevent industrial trouble, and to secure, if possi'b'.u, increased production. To that end they have decided to so increase tho rates of pay of all mine ■ workers that no reasonable caus.e for grievanco can remain, and have therefore decided to offer additional tonuses on pre-war rates of 10 per cent, to pieceworkers and 15 per cent, to all other workers, which means,- with previous bonuses, an increase of 35 per cent, to pieceworkers and 45 per cent, to other workers, over pre-war rates. This will result in the coal mine workers of tho Dominion receiving an additional .£150,000 per annum in wages, and will necessitate an increa.se in the price of coat of from ii. od. to, 3s. per ton. Tho whole of this huge sum wilt have to be paid, by coal consumers, .as the coal companies cannot stand any increase in the cost of coai production. And I desire to roako it perfectly' clear that, the coal owners .have no alternative but to pass on the additional cost of production, as tho coal mining industry—the most important industry in New Zealand—has unfortunately been an unprofitable one. There has been no profiteering by coal owners. This fact k definitely established by the Board of Trade Report, in which it is staled "the rate of profit made in tho production of coal, taking flic industry as a whole, is unduly low," and further states that "tho weighted dividend ranged during tho last six years for the principal collieries of tho Dominion from 4.3 per cent, to 5.3 per cent., the rate foivthe whole period being 4.8 per cent." . As coal owners, wo lecogniso the serious conditions which exist in connection with the shortage of coal supply throughout the Dominion. We recognise tho responsibilities which are cast upon us with reference to the demands made by the federation to be included in a national agreement. Wo havo endeavoured to meet the federation's demands, exclusive of the six objectionable clauses, but find they canot bo agreed to. Tho olfcr we make is one which will-materially advance the mine workers' darnings, mill at the same time will imposo a further additional financial burden upon the people of New Zealand. Viewed from alt standpoints, tho coal mine owners -cannot see their way to go further than to advance the wages of mine workers on the percentages stated. Iu refusing tho federation'demand, (he coal mine owners.ha.vc nlready established that tho demands cannot be granted without serious and far-reaching injury to the present and future welfare of our Dominion. They havo also established that tho miners' earnings nro now high, and the wages of tho mine workers as a. whole satisfactory: in addition to which there is practically constant work at each mine owing to the extreme shortago of coal. Appeal to the Men, On the other hand, if Die federation refuses the liberal offer mado by the mino owners, the federation is inking upon itself a serious responsibility. Should industrial double result the re. sponsibilily for such certainly cannot be placed ujion the shoulders of tho mine owners. They have gono most careful!) and fully into tho wholo position; I hey havo heard all the points advanced on behalf of tho demands; aud llioy : have conferred with their mine managers wjtb.

reference to each of tlio demands. Finally they unanimously agreed that the demands could not ho granted. After eleven days' conference, and having fully discussed with tho federation delegates their demands, tho coal mine owners submit their offer—a well-considered ami liberal offer—with the view of arriving at a, settlement. As I mentioned, it, is a most liberal offer which should ho accepted. If, however, the federation is not prepared to accept an offer on the lines submitted, wo must now definitely stato that it will he useless to continue the conference. In this critical hour of coal shortage, I beg, I appeal to the federation delegates, to carefully consider their reply, and to do nil in their power to proveiit industrial trouble by agreeing to recommend the acceptance by the several miners' unions of the coal mine owners' offer.

Conclusion of Conference. '" The Miners' Federation representatives retired to consider the mine owners' proposal, and upon their return intimated they'could not see their way to recommend acceptance of the terms offered. They then withdrew and tho conference concluded.