THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2186, 9 May 1908, Page 2

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

CONFERENCE IN CHRISTCHURCH

STRIKE PRACTICALLY SETTLED

(Pross Association.) CHRISTQH UIRCH, May 9. The two delegates who wore sent to Christchurch hy the Blackball Minors Union to place the Union’s suggestions before tho directors of tho Company were received this morning. Tho suggestions placed before the directors were stated by the delegates to bo those 0 n which tho Union would advise the men to return to work and wore as follows: (1) That the seven men dismissed on February 25 should be reinstated and that wio mine manager should undertake not to victimise the seven men. (2) That the miners will agreo to come and truck when required for two hours of the eight hours they are underground, the miners doing this work to be selected by rotation. (3) Tho Union will allow two truckers to work overtime, when required on the special work of attending to the crane and terminal of the endless rope which requires expert hands. Tlie crib to he thirty minutes. Tho directors were agreeable to the following terms: (1) The seven men dismissed, to be reinstated and the mine manager to undertake riot to victimise them. (2) The crib time to be thirty minutes. . , , (3) All other conditions to be as laid down, in the award of the Arbitration Court and tho same as > were in force previous to February 26. when the men went on strike. .Thy directors had, from time to time, 1 been informed through the newspapers and the strikers’ statements that the halfhour crib w.as the sole reason for the men remaining on strike. They therefore had every reason to expect that tho terms proposed would be accepted by the union, as the only point on which there was any divergence in the terms was the question of overtime. This matter was discussed and it was pointed out hy the delegates that rule 24 of the union which had been in force since 1905, provide a penalty of 10s for eaoh offence on any miner, being a' member of this union, who worked more than eight hours underground. It was contended that this rule applied, to truckers as well as miners and it was pointed out that for the last eight years the truckers had worked overtime when required, being paid time and a quarter for so doing, and the rule had not hitherto been enforced. The Arbitration award provided' for overtime being worked as well as fixing the ordinary hours of work as eight hours underground. Owing to the limited carrying capacity of the aerial train, it is necessary to work overtime in ovder to despatch the steamers within the tides. Missing a tide frequently means a delay of a day or more through the .bar being unworkable and, consequently, of the sale of coal, and idle time at the mine. This overtime was as a rule required every day. The truckers are only asked to work this overtime until the railway is finished, when overtime will be unnecessary. Furthermore, the full output of the mine was required and, ill order to secure this, it was absolutely necessary that all the miners should work their six hours and forty minutes that they will be actually working at the face, and to take the miners off to do trucking for two hours out of this six hours and forty minutes would reduce the output and would not be satisfactory to the management. The directors were prepared, together with the Union, to 6tate a friendly test case on the overtime question for the Arbiration Court to decide. Also men have been on strike for ten, weeks out of the ten months time estimated by the Government as necessary to complete the railway, and it is concernalble that it may he prudent to close the mine until the railway- is finished. The Company’s clients have made arrangements for a supnly of their requirements and* its colliers are fully occupied under charter arrangements. The delegates having stated that they had. not power to hind 1 the Union, agreed to report the directors’ suggestions. They leave on their return to the IVest Coast by to-mor-’ row morning’s train.