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Q'land Coal
Strike Near
Serious industrial trouble in
Queensland's coal mines seems
inevitable unless there is some
unforeseen change in the situation.
1 HIS statement was made last week
by the Central executive of the
•Miners' Federation
which
severely
criticised the attitude of
Queensland
Labor Premier Mr. Hanlon.
"We have advised the
officials of
the Queensland district of the
Federation
to call a special meeting of the
management committee to finalise organisation
for a State-wide
stoppage
in the coalmines in accordance with a
decision already made,"
the
central
executive said.
"The general president, Mr. I. Williams,
will visit Queensland
for this
meeting.
'The decision for a state-wide stoppage,
made by a Convention in June
and since adopted almost
unanimously
by the largest rank and file vote
on record, gave the Queensland
Government
till next
Wednesday
(September
3) to arrange for the
extension
of the Commonwealth
Coal
Industry
Act to the State and to meet
outstanding
claims
on
Coal
Mines
Regulations,
compensation,
pensions
and long service leave.
"State wide stop work meetings will
discuss further actions to press
the
union's claims."
The Executive statement
declares
that they have been
endeavoring
to
finalise the new structure for national
direction of
the
coal
industry,
but
have experienced
"complete
frustration."
The
statement
adds:
"We
have
been particulary concerned at the attitude
of the Queensland Premier, Mr.
Hanlon, who has been unco-operative,
and is now effectually lining up with
the anti-Labor Premier of South Australia
in active opposition to the Joint
Coal Board."
Meanwhile the Queensland press reports
a pending agreement with a big
-British company for the open cut exploitation
of the Blair Athol coal
seams. The executive statement says
-that there is no evidence of adequate
safeguards concerning the future of
the industry or the conditions of the
workers. It adds:
"Apparently, British interests are to
be given their heads by way of extracting
the maximum private profit
from the field in the shortest possible
time, while the coal lasts; then they
•will get out. In the process they may
well wreck the Queensland coal' industry."
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