MANGAHAO TUNNELLERS' STRIKE.

Shannon News, 10 February 1922, Page 2

MANGAHAO TUNNELLERS' STRIKE.

REFUSE REDUCED PAY. 40 MEN LEAVE WORK. the work on the Mangahao hydroelectric scheme received what may "be regarded as its first check during the past few days, when dissatisfaction arose among a section of the tunnellers owing to the Government's action in reducing the rates of pay in common with those of other Government workers. The tunnellers concerned; are those employed at the Mangaong camp at the foot of the range near Shannon, and those at Arapeti. These tunnellers were employed on a contract price per foot, and therefore come within the new rates of pay adopted by the Government, but the Mangahao tunnellers are carrying out their undertaking at a contract price for the whole tunnel, and are therefore not affected. In addition to the tunnellers, there are a large number of surface hands and labourers emplayed on the works. These, of course, are affected by the new retrenchment scheme, but have decided to carry on at the lower rale, and with the exception of the stoppage in the two tunnels referred to, the work on the scheme is proceeding as usual. The tunnellers at Mangaone and Arapeti who refused to accept the cut in their wages have left the work, and took train away from Shannon on Monday and Tuesday. TUNNELLERS MAKE 30/ PER SHIFT Yesterday a News representative had an opportunity of visiting the works, and gathered a. few particulars of the conditions obtaining there. It was stated that the tunnellers affected at the Arapeti and Mangaone tunnels numbered from 40 to 45. They had left the work, and operations had ceased temporarily in these two tunnels. These men were employed on a co-operative contract system, and their earnings had averaged 30/ and over per shift. The rut which was to be applied would mean a reduction of about 2/ per shift per man, or 12/ per week, which still left the funneller a comparatively high rate of pay. The day workers were reduced in pay in the same ratio by being cut down from 15/ to 14/ per day on the smaller rate of wages rulling for their particular class of work. The Mangahao funnel was not al'fect--1 ed, and operations were going :m there as usual. OTHER WORK WIIJL BE PUSHED ON. Very few day workers were affected by the tunnellers going out, and these will bo moved to other work, so that there will be no dislocation. In fact it will give the opportunity of pushing on concreting and other work, of which there is an immense amount to do. There is no likelihood of any of Ihe surface hands being put off through the temporary hold-up of the tunnelling, and in fact every endeavour will be made to keep them on. These men resumed after the stop-work meeting and ballot, when the majority of them voted for continuing work, and accepting the cut rate of pay. As regards the re-manning of the Arapeti and Mangaone tunnels, it was impossible to say when work would be resumed, but immediate steps" were being taken to procure tunnellers, and it was not anticipated that operations would be hung up very long. The hydro-electric scheme on the whole w'as well up to .schedule, and had gone on satisfactorily up to the ««wt^|