The Blackball Trouble

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 April 1911, Page 8

The Blackball Trouble

—4 Amicable Settlement Effected

Tne trouble between the men and the management of the Blackball mine with reference to trucking and pillar cutting at the mine has at length been brought to a satisfactory issue. It will be remembered that when th© trouble first came to a head a conference was held between the management and the representatives or the men, but proved abortive. Air. Leitch, the general manager of the mine, then held a meeting of the Managers' Association in Greymouth, and the matters m dispute wore fully discussed. A further conference was then held between the managers and the representatives of the local Blackball Union. Mr. Finch, president ot the Union, Mr. Vf[ Rogers, secretary, Avere oresent and in addition Mr. P. Webb, president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, and Mr. R. Semple, organiser of the same body, were present to Avatch the interests of the men. Matters were discussed at length, but although the conference was of the most amicable nature, it again proved abortive. Mr. Leitch then laid the matter before the NeAV Zealand Coalmine OAvners' Association at a meeting held in Dunedin on Saturday, March 25. A number of proposals were drawn up for submission to the men, and Mr. Jonathan Dixon, of Westport. was appointed to represent the Coalmine Owners' Association at the subsequent meeting. On Wednesday, March 29, the proposals drawn up by the Coalmine Owners' Association were placed by Messrs. W. Leitch, Hamilton, T. Leitch, and Dixon before the men's representatives (Messrs. Webb, Semple, Hickey, Finch and Rogers.). A meeting of the Blackball Industrial Union of Workers was held in Stevens' Hall the same afternoon, and the oroposals of the Company placed before the Union. The proposals were read clause by clause, and, after being fully discussed, were agreed to Avith various alterations. The folloAving resolution Avas then agreed to :—■ That this Industrial Union of Workers agree to accept the terms offered by the Company, subject to the various alterations made, and subject to the condition that A the terms are approved by the * Executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, at a meeting to be held on Monday next. The amended proposals were then brought before the Coalmine OAvners* representativea that night and wero agreed to by them. All that is now required is their final ratification by the. executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. Mr Semple says the new agreement is a distinct advance on any previous agreement, and improves the conditions of the men very considerably, doing away with a great deal of laborious work. "The men are now quite convinced," aaysMr Webb, "that industrial unionism is a great advance on craft unionism and the operations of the Arbitration Court. The men have been in th© course of evolution for some time. They tried craft unionism; they tried the Arbitration Court, and by neither did they get any satisfaction. Then they affiliated with the New Zealand Federation of Labour, and in a short time they were able to bring about an agreement that was streets ahead of any award previously granted." As showing that the work of th» Federation was appreciated by the men it is only necessary to quote the following_ resolution passed by the Blackball Union at their last meeting: -— This Union of workers desires to express their sincere appreciation of the able manner in which the Executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour have brought about such an amicable settlement.