GREEN ISLAND GLEANINGS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 60, 3 May 1912, Page 10

GREEN ISLAND GLEANINGS.

The Recent Trouble—A Triumph for Direct Action—Court Award Expiring.

After putting up with moro Ihan niosfc minors would stand, tho employees in Christie Pros.' No. 2 mine rlomandcd that the Union should make an attempt to get redress for them. Tho trouble originated owing to the exceptionally steep roads that the miners were compelled to buck upon. The roads in dispute wero two-spmg roads, and even with two sprags it was soinotimes impossible for the minor to control his box when going down the heading. Then, again, there was tho other difficulty of pushing Hie empty boxes up tho heading. This trouble has been very acute for a long time now, bo much so that many of the men found that, their knees were being affected. The men ooncorned becamo desperate, and wanted te down tools at once, but the Union ordered them to go to work, and a deputation was appointed to interview tho management, in order to try and get the heavy grades reduced. However, the only responso to several overtures was that, ii tho men could not truck the roads, others could he found who would do so. The deputation made several attempts to get the management to discuss the trouble with a view to adjustment, but without success. Finally, tlie management stated that those who could not truck the roads could go home, and he would fill their places with oilier men. On this tho whole of the miners, instead of going to work, turned and went home. Their action in taking tho manager at his word was a knock-out blow to tnat gentleman ; he never expected that they would all go home. Ho then tried to make out it was a strike, but roally ft was n lock-out. The omploycrs were permitted to enjoy themselves in their own company for a couple of days. In the two dayß of communion with themselves the employers no doubt, realised that labor is the source of all wealth, especially so when it is someone else's labor power they aro exploiting. In any case, on tho evening of tlie second day they sent a letter to the secretary of the local Union, intimating that tho repairs to tho trucking road had been effected, and they hoped that their employees would be' at work as usual tho next morning. This letter was read at a full meeting of the Union, nnd tho men decided that they would go to work and sco if the roads had teen repaired. Onco again doos this show the value of direct action as a-gainst Arbitration Court methods. If these mon had been tied up with tho I.C. and A. Act, tlie country would have been treated to the spectacle of an attempt being made to prosecute the men and to get them lined, provided they had done as they did in this instance. As it is, however, the men have undoubtedly gained a victory. Still, this trouble will not bo abolished until such time as the system of tho miners trucking their own coal is wiped out of existence. In this connection, it may be said that a committee has been sot up te draft a new set of proposed rates and working conditions, a feature of which will be the elimination of the obnoxious system of trucking by the miners. Seeing that the last of tho Arbitration Court awards expires in July next, if, will be a wise move on tho part of the various branches of tho Otago Coal Miners' Union to approach all tho coal owners at the same time and not, as sometimes has been the case, allow the employers te play one branch of the Union against another. Reverting to the recent trouble, itcan be readily understood that, in addition to the difficulty experienced by the miners in taking their full boxesdown and pushing their empty ones v-: the heading, there is another phase o! tlie question. What about the_ gravida ngor when some men are going up and others owning down all through tha shift, and this on a road where it i» so narrow in places that there is not much nioro room than to permit of the bos clearing the sides of the heading. Just fancy one man pushing his empty boy in a narrow part and meeting a full box over which control had been lost. ] think it is iime the Mines Department instructed their inspectors to so: into th" matter.—SKlP.