EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION'S VIEWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 30, 30 October 1919, Page 6

EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION'S VIEWS

ACTION OF. EMPLOYEES APPfiOVED. In connection with the coal mines dispute nnd the nrtion of the waterside workers in rfifasjiiir to discharge oversea coal cargoes tho following resolution was unanimously adopted at yesterday's meeting of tho Employers' Federation:— In the in tares , ; of the general community this anniml meeting of the Employers' Federation approves of the recent, action taken by the Coal Mine Owners , Association ami of the' present action of the employnrs »f waterside labour. It. was also decided to publish the following statement in connection with the matter:— "At the annual meeting of Hie New Zealand Employers' Federation full consideration was given to tho matters tn dispute in the conl mines of the nonunion. The position of epal-mininff is that the Now Zealand inines β-ro beins; carried on under conditions which render it- newssary to increase theprice, of coal in accordance with any rise- in the cost of production. ■ After a protracted conference with the representatives of the Miners' Federation, _ tho mine, owners were compelled to intimate that it was impracticable to enter into •. a national agreement, owinfj to tlie varying conditions oneratin? in the mines of the Dominion; that it was also impossible in the public interest to concede, tlio proposals for (a) tho abolition of the contract system, (1)) the reduction of tho hours of work, (c) conl lipwini? only on dny shift. i&) one shift in M hours, and (e> payment for holidays and time lost. The mine, owners offered, however, to increase existing- bonuses by 10 per cent, to contract nnd pieceworkers and 15 por cent, to day workers. These extra bonusc-swore than provided for tho increase in the cost of livinjr, ■and the last concessions would mean an increase of 'is. Gel. to Ss. p?r. ton in tho price of coal. Beyond fhnt, the miiio owners did not feel justified in niacin;; any further burden on the community in regard to cost, of coal. Subee'iuently, the National Government, after full infi'iiiv int" all tho matters in dispute, slated puhlicly that tho cmofi'cr wn.« a fair and. reasonable one The 'ro-slow' system has sinco hoen adontwl in most of the mines of lli'fi dominion, witli the rosult that the. (Mitimt lias been decreased In- about II) m) ton* durinir the past, oijfht or nine weeks. Attempts have boon mode to induce the mine owners to agree to a further conference, hut as thev ennnnt accede to any of the. principal (lemillifls or tho fiMler«t : on, the mine owners nnvo felt, compelled to decline to agree .to the «u'f'»p.stions made. . "It is emphasised Uiat tlie nrivciiwl <k--mamh made by tho nvjiers' representatives aro vital tuicstions of iinncinle R'hicli have now Iwn raised liof.li in the United States and at Broken Hill in New South Wales. In liodh these places tho employers have felt it necessary to face all live losses nnd evils of protracted strikes rather thnn ffivo way. In standinj! for tho maintenance, of the contract unci iweowork a>-stem, the coal owners nro ii°rhting for tho retention (if '•'■ system vital tn all industries, and which, until human nature becomes radically qltercd, is essential to any reduction hi Ihe costs of production, nnd therefore iirthe co»|- of livin?. jrnrpnver, it enab'os the individual minw to pain thn fiillefl: iidvantnKe from Hip abilities nalure has (riven him. The inter-'-sts of tlie RPiierai! eoniinninity nppcnr to dfinand Oiat Hie einiiloyeis of coul minora should not jiTpdp to nny fiirl.her drmnnds of ihe Miners' IVdprat'in. Tim frpt|iio!it lireaelies of indiistrhd fn'iwr.icnls and tnvnnls l).v lwth the i'(«il minors and th« waterside \j-orkprs and the methods (ii direct acliou iidnnlr-t liv llu , -.' , -if workers constihit" a jjrave natiniia , (l,in?er, and are a delibcrale of Hie constitutional means <f Bottling iiidnsl.nal difiputes.■ Such actions nre calculated to indict serious injury upoa

'both tho primary and secondary industries which will in turn fall with great wvcrily upon llin worker.s el' tho Dominion generally owing to the stoppage o[ work and the restriction of national development. The Now Zealand Bmployors' Federation, tk-rcfori 1 , believing it is essential to prevent these tactics being continued; and that tho New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association aiid the employers of watwsid? Inborn , are adopt, ing tlie best means/of cnmlxitiug such, desires, to assure b:>lh of these bodies of employers of approval', and support in the very difficult position in which they arc placed,"