The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1920. THE COAL AGREEMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 134, 2 March 1920, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1920. THE COAL AGREEMENT

People who were looking forward anxiously, not long ago, to a winter of coal famine will learn with relief that the miners' unions have ratified the agreement drawn up at the recent conference promoted by the Peime Minister, it is possible now to anticipate ■ such a flow of supplies as ought to''avert hardships during the months of cold weather, and permit the normal operation of industries and of transport and municipal services. For this the country has in a large measure to thank Mr.. Massf.y, whose efforts to bring about a settlement have now been crowned with success. Details of the new agreement, as they are published to-day, sbow, howevejj, that the price paid and to be paieffor this measure of relief is by no means light. Probably, if it leads to smooth working and a full output in the coal industry, the price will not be grudged, but it is evident that the representatives of the mine workers have driven a hard bargain. 'Those features of the agreement which are of most interest and concern to the public may be briefly summarised: ; The following table shows the increases per cent, on pre-war rates hitherto paid, those offered 'by the employers in AuKiist'lant and on lnhr neensions, and the increases now conceded:— Contract Wage worl;ev.<. workers. Percent. Percent. Hitherto paid ..' 2.1} 3(1 Offered by employers... iJS 4 r , Now conceded SO GO The hours of work are to rem'ain as provided for in existing agreements at eaeli mine.

The agreement re-enacts the provisions relating lo the constitution of District Dilutes Committees and a National Disputes Committee which were uonta neil in the late agreement, but became a dead letter owing to their non-observance by the miners' unions. j The agreement is to remain in force

for. ono year from the dato'on which it, comes into operation, or until superseded' by another agreement.

In settling on these conditions, the miners havo retreated from the more extreme demands they put forward last year, notably the abolition of the contract system, a heavy reduction in working hours, and a fort-, night's holiday annually on full pay. They have secured, however, in' the case of wage-workers, twice the increase in pay offered by tho employers, and in the case of contract workers two and a half times the offered increase. On the occasion of the conference in August last year, it was stated by the mineowners that payment of the increases they offered would necessitate an advance in the price of coal of from 2s. Gd. to 3s. per ton. If the more liberal terms now granted to the miners entail a .corresponding increase in the price of coal the public verdict no doubt will be that peace in" the coal industry has been somewhat dearly bought. Taking account of the Board of Trade's report on the exceptionally low profits made in the coal industry, there is little doubt that the mine-owners will be able to make out a good case for passing on to the public the cost of the substantial concessions just made to their employees. The most satisfactory features of the new. agreement are the retention of the contract i.ystem and of the present working hours. These conditions will permit, and, it N is to be hoped, ensure, at least a normal output of coal. Both in the conduct of industries.and sorviccs and in the use of coal for household nurposes, a reduction .in supplies has been felt as severely as high prices. In some cases it lias been felt more severely. It was computed by the mine-owners last year that if the initial demands of the miners were granted in full the annual output of coal would be reduced from 2,034.000 to 997,000 tons—a reduction to less than half—and that the extra cost of producing coal would be 21s. Gd. per ton. Apart from the immediate financial burden entailed, the effect of such a reduction in the output of coal would have been to cripple or paralyse industries and transport all over the country. Though it gives the. miners, very •liberal concessions, the agreement now concluded at least leaves room for a much more hopeful and promising state of affairs. The miners will in every way consult their own interests as well as those of all other soctions of the community if they produce henceforth such quantities of coal as the country needs. Like other features, the short term of the agreement is presumably a concession to the miners, since the employers in August last proposed that it should have a duration of three years. Mine workers are bound to recognise that they have made an excellent', bargain from their own point of view. The men wilJ bo ill-advised; however, if they.assume on tho facts that they only need to squeeze the community hard enough to obtain practically anything v they care to demand. Ttic actual position is that by their tactics during the last six months they strained public patience almost to the breaking point, and _ that the repetition of similar tactics would leave the community no other option than to take organised measures for the protection of its vital interests. On the other hand, it is quitcopnn to the miners, within the limits of the agreement they have now concluded, to establish themselves securely in conditions which will compare favourably with those of many of their fellow workers and of coal workers in other countries. They are offered every incentive to maintain industrial ocacc and co-opcrato in an increased production of the coal the country needs, and the Disputes Committees offer a ready means of" disposing of any detail misunderstandings that may arise. The country clearly is entitled to exnect an adequate output of cn'l a.nd the entire abandonment bv H"e miners of the tactics of exploitation t.hoy have reqontly pursued, chiefly to the detriment of their fellowworkers.