LOW OUTPUT OF COAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19980, 4 July 1939, Page 2

LOW OUTPUT OF COAL

DICTATORSHIP OF UNION RESTRICTED EMPLOYMENT OPINIONS IN DUNEDIN The opinion that the union's dictatorship was largely responsible for the reduced output from Otago and Southland coal mines was expressed by a Dunedin coal merchant in an interview on Saturday. The limitation of miners' fortnightly output that- was introduced by the union and its dictatorial attitude about the number of men a mine could employ and whom it should select had, he said, a marked effect on the output from southern mines. The high wages paid to piecework miners provided an. explanation of the substantially increased prices charged for coal in .Dunedin.

“In Southland, miners on piecework are restricted to a certain output a fortnight,” he said, “and 'this is one "of the .reasons why coal is in short supply. The union brought this restricted output into existence for the purpose of compelling mines to employ more men.

“Great difficulty, however, has been experienced' in finding capable miners, and. anyway, men cannot be put on for a. day or two a fortnight to take the place of miners who have completed their fortnight’s limit, hack miner has his set working place m the mine and it is impossible to find work for more men, as the number or places is governed by the stage of development of the mine. Restriction of Output

’‘The restricted output is full*of evils for the mine .owner,” he continued. "It means 'that a man either works full time for ithe early part of the fortnight and stops as soon as he reaches his limit, or else he wastes a lot of time each day to make his workspin out for the full 10 days. Both these courses tend to keep down the output of coal, and if there were no restrictions mine owners would have no trouble in meeting their orders.” 'lt was stated that very short hours were at present worked in mines. Some of the men were on piece-work and some on day wages, and they were supposed to be on an eight-hour day bank to bank. They entered the pit ait 8 a-m. and left it at 4 p.m. It took them'Jialf an 'hour to get to their work andi a similar time to return to the pit-mouth, and l they also had half an hour for'lunch, so that working time was 1 only six hours and a-half.

"If Dunedin housewives want to ■ know why 'they are paying high prices I for coal, they, have only to look at the wages these piecework miners earn,” the merchant continued. “The rate for .pieceworkers has steadily increased! in the Hast four years, and it is now possible for men in Otago and Southland mines to earn between £2 and £3 a-day. In fact in one Otago mine: recently four men drew £IOO among them for 10 days’ work, averaging £2 10s each a day for 10 days. Employment of Men

“As well as toeing highly paid, all miners get 10 days’ annual holiday at Christmas' on full shift wages. This explains why coal is so dear to-day.” Referring to the manner in which the union dictated l as to employment of imen, the merchant said that it decided what men should, be employed in mines and the order in which they were to toe taken on. Not long ago a Southland mine closed down because of a flood and' two of the miners were given a job in another mine. When the union heard of this it refused to allow the men to work.

The placement officer in Dunedin sent down an experienced- man to an Otago mine, which was only too willing to employ him, tout, again the union stepped In and forbade it. This sort of interference was another contributing factor toward reducing the output of coal.