WORK STOPPAGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24410, 23 September 1940, Page 8

WORK STOPPAGES

SERIOUSNESS STRESSED DRAIN ON WAR EFFORT THE RECENT MINE DISPUTE (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON. Sept. 21.. , ' The seriousness of stoppages of work in coal mines in war time is stressed by the National Disputes Committee in announcing its unanimous decision: regarding the Macdonald mine dispute! over wet-time payment to William Nuttall for one day in August. The committee's decision' is that the wettime amount provided in the agreement should be oaid to him for this day. The committee points out that the decision is not to be interpreted as a ruling that this job is to be considered a wet-time job on every dav that i\ is! raining. The committee also expresses the opinion that the dispute should have been capable of settlement by the local Disputes Committee at Huntly There, however was .a much more serious aspect of the case tharj, the actual dispute, the National Disputes Committee states. The mine was stopped and .idle fOr three days, and after work had been resumed and the local Disputes Committee had failed to reach an agreement, work was again stopped on a trivial pretext The mine was idle for six davs. and the. Glen Afton mine for two days, without anv justification whatever. The loss of output was approximately 6000 tons and the loss of wages not less than £ ; 2000 "Even in ordinary times the action of those responsible for bringing.;about such a stonpage of work would be highly reprehensible but these are r.oi ordinary times. "The committee says it is in the interests of all parties that disputes be settled promptly and reasonably, and that: matters which are relatively unimportant should hot be aggravated in such a way as to create hostile feelings ' unnecessarily ' "Any persons not prepared to deal with disputes in this reasonable way are endangering the welfare of the whole mining community. It is urged on all parties that disputes be dealt with strictly in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and that until the machinery provided in the agreement, has been used to the full no stoppage shall occur."