COAL CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 171, 15 April 1921, Page 5

COAL CONFERENCE

OWNERS AND MINERS MEET TO-DAY

THE DEMANDS RE STATED

A moeting of extreme importance to the coalmining industry nf New Zealand will bo held in Wellington to-day, when representatives of the Miners’ Federation will meet representatives of tho Coal Mine Owners' Association for the purpose of discussing the conditions to be embodied in a new agreement. The last agreement expired at the ond of February. It was a national one, and had been in existence for year. The demands presented by the New Zealand miners on this occasion are similar to the demands made upon the Australian owners by the Commonwealth miners. They are as follow: — Six-hour day (bank to bank). Five days per week. Abolition of tho contract System. A fortnight’s holiday on full pay at the end of each year. A minimum weekly wage of -£b. Full wages as compensation for lost time owing to occupational disease or accidents. ~ , Employers to provide tools, light, and explosives free. . Instalment of modern safety appliances. Proper sanitary arrangements. Abolition of the afternoon shift. An effective voice in the executive control of the industry. Overtime.—Double rates to bo paid for all week-day overtime; treble rates to be paid for all Sunday and -holiday work. . • The demands provide that the minimum wage for off-hand labour (18 years and over) shall be £1 per shift. For miners hewing coal on contract a minimum rate of All ss. per shift is, asked, and for miners working in stone the minimum requested .is £1 7s. 6d. per shift. . „ , . ' Other provisions of the claims are as follow:— , ... Machine mon (coal), d£l ss. per shift. Wheelers, -51 2s. 6d. per shift. Machine coal contract rates (shooter and filler), 33 1-3 per cent, increase. Machine cutters, 25 per cent, inciease. Boys’ and youths’ day rates, 33 1-3 ner cent, increase. All other classes of labour, 27$ per cent, increase. . Where extra payment is now being mode for special consideration, the margin now paid shall be maintained in a district. ■ . The Miners’ Federation asks that, so far as possible, any award or agreement. ba«ed upon the foregoing claims shall be made retrospective, and operate as from February 28, 1921. When the owners were notified ot we above demands, they at first insisted on the withdrawal of those which were aimed at the following objects:—(l) Abolition of the contract system • (2) six-hour day. bank to bank; (3) five-day week; (4) abolition of the afternoon MnL; ff>) payment for holidays; (6) -payment for time, lost (minimum weekly wage). Aftersome correspondence with the Miners Federation, however, they agreed to the holding of the present conference but stated: "It must be clearly understood that we cannot conceive any arguments which' will modify* our decision that it is possible to agree to the six items. Another point of importance made by the coal-mine owners in their correspondence with the Miners' Federation is the following:—"The holding of a conference does* not neressaiily mean that the New Zealand coal-mine owners are prepared to enter into a new national agreement, as the members of the association consider that -the results of the working of this form of agreement during the past year have proved Unsatisfactory, and that ’local or district agreements are the only solution of the question owing to the varied conditions existing in Kew Zealand mines.” Tlie conference will meet at 11 a.m.