Wages and Arbitration at Boulder Mines

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 90, 6 December 1912, Page 8

Wages and Arbitration at Boulder Mines

WESTRALIAN EXPERIENCE.

THE CELEBRATED WEALTHY

MINES AND THEIR BADLYPAID MINERS.

TROUBLE EXPECTED

Mr. John Glover has received the following eye-opening letter: —

COMBINED UNIONS COMMITTEE

Fimiston road, Boulder, November 13, 1912.

Dear Comrade, —I am directed by the Combined Unions Committee to bring under your notice the serious position ot industrial affairs iv this centre, and ask that you will make the matter as widelyknown as possible. In the early part of this year the Combined Unions Committee was formed for the purpose of first deciding on a common policy and then to carry on negotiations with the Chamber of Mines for an improvement in the wages and working conditions. The committee was faced with a difficult task because for many years it Las been an accepted fiction that tlie wages on .these goldfields were comparatively high. This idea arose from the fact that at the time these fields were discovered matters in the other States were in a particularly bad way. and in this State almost anything at all was considered more than sufficient for a worker.

Since then a vast advance has taken place in every part of Australia bin here, until to-day the goldiields of W.A. have readied the stage where wages (when due allowance is made for price of commodities and conditions under which people have to live) are worse than almost any other part of the Commonwealth. Added to this is the fact that tho mines have been continuously getting deeper and the conditions of work more unhealthy. It is not therefore to be wondered at that the men are beginning to look for some improvement in their wages and conditions of employment.

After having, for the past ten years, earned the reputation of being the most peaceful industrial body in Australia, they have now reached the stage when all must agree that peace can be bought too dearly.

In July last arrangements were iiiuda to meet the Chamber of Mines to discuss the increases desired by the unions. After the 'first conference, it became apparent that the only hope to .jain anything peaceably lay in allowing other matters to stand aside and concentrating all efforts on effecting an improvement in the minimum rates of pay. After the unions had come to this decision further conferences were held, at one of which the Chamber of Mines agreed to advance the minimum surface rate from 10s. to 10s. Gd. per shift, conditionally on all the unions agreeing to sign agreements by November 30. Meetings were held at which this proposal was placed before the men and unanimously rejected. Further efforts have since been made for a better offer, but without success.

It is now proposed to submit the off*r of the chamber to a ballot of the men for the purpose of ascertaining definitely by how much of a majority it will be rejected. It is not anticipated that there is any possibility of even a large minority, much less a majority, voting for its acceptance. After this ballot is decided and \>he proposal turned down there are only two courses left to us. We must either cite a case to the Arbitration Court or cease work.

For over ten year* the Arbitration Court has been dealing with wages disputes in the mining industry, and during the whole of that time there is BUT ONE SOLITARY DECISION IN FAVOR OF THE MEN. For ten years the mine workers have been calmly submitting to their wages being reduced by the court on every possible occasion. In addition,, it is extremely doubtful if an award would be legal if delivered. The k|;al technicalities surrounding the court are such that none are even sure that a case would be heard if cited. The chamber has previously refused to submit the matters in dispute to voluntary arbitration.

There then remains only the power the men have in their own hands to refuse to sell their labor, and their lives, for a rate of pay that will not even allow them to live decently. Should this happen, it will mean that the unionists he , ! , © will be involved in one of the biggest industrial tights tihat ever struck Australia.

At least 5000 men will be directly involved, and with their wives and families this will mean at least 20,000 people. In addition to this, there will be another 2000 or so workers in the towns of Kalgoorlie and Boulder who would be out of work immediately, and with their dependents would mean 5000 or 6000 more who would be involved without being directly concerned. Within a fortnight of ceasing work at least 25,000 people would be dependent on outside help.

We want you, therefore, to be prepared to Tender assistance at any moment. Our warning may be going forth unnecessarily. It is just possible that when the determination of the men is realised those in charge of the mines will take heed of the warning and concede a living wage. On the other hand, they may not. In that case we will be faced with but one possible line of action. The shareholders' dividends must be cut off at their source.

To do this will mean a big task and a risk. The risk is that the men may be starved into submission; the task that of providing against any such thins taking place. We look with confidence to our fellow-unionists to help us with our task. We ask that you be ready. At any .moment we may be compelled to appeal to you. We desire that you should know beforehand the issues that are at stake here. This is no suddeclyfomented dissatisfaction that may blow over as quickly as it has arisen. This storm has been gathering through years of peace and quietness, and for that reason it will be all the more furious when it breaks. When the fight comes the unionists away from here will be the people who will decide, and we ask them to be ready to lend a hand when active assistance becomes necessary.— On behalf of the Combined Unions Committee, yours fraternally,

GEO. McLEOD, Secretary