Document B5orryeqvnBZQvxXzE57nRvqJ

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1958 Feb 3 DOC CSR133 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to District Mines Inspector from Workers Unions RE Concerns about Working Conditions at Wittenoom Gorge N. PLAINTIFF'S Bayone EXHIBIT Bayon e PENGAD PENGAD COPY Wittenoom Wittenoom GorgeGorge Box 15 201 The District Mines Inspector 7 - Dear Sir The unions concerned that is the AEU AWU ETU and Boiler makers desire to bring before your notice our dissatisfaction in regard to the dust condition prevailing in _ the Mill condition This request you think the after you have given your decision if warrants we the unions concerned would like you to place before the chief mines inspector your opinion . . the Company Prior to the installation of Roto Clone system the Company paid whoworked . each individual the Hill a day 1/6 This inadequate amount prompted all unions to approach the _, Management in view to having the amount increased to an amount proportintoat thee disab Wewei re Wel werei wot rkiy ng under - The Management used stalling tactics over such a long period that the AEU and the AWT approached their respective union officials to have a Board of Reference decide the issue . After considerablo delay the Board visited the mine Board The unions olaim wes for 2 an hour The Board afters its deliberations granted 6d en hour We realise at this amount was inadequate for the disability under which we worked but accepted it in good faith after having the promise that the Company had come to the decission to install a Roto Clone Bystem A period of some months elapsed before the first stage stage installation of a three plan was completed On complet- ion of the first stage after a trial period the Management approached the Shop Stewart of the AB<and the AVU in an endeavour to get the unions to agree that thedust condition had improved to such an extent that it wonly warranted 34 an hour In an honest and unbrosed opinion we could not admit to any lessening of the dust muisance "x" The three stages comprise the treating section the crushing section and the section to collect the dust exhausted e to pay The Company continued the 6d an hour until the completion of the final stage of the system When it instigated its own Board of Reference with out any delay The Board's decision was that the highest disability through the dust was in the enclosed section this section 4d an hour was allowed In the crushing section only these men actually working the plant they considered 3d an hour was all that was warranted The men working in close proximity to these mach- ines it considered no disability was suffered had to stages We again accepted this decision in good faith admit the dust condition had improved with the ; in operation a for we three Our satisfaction with the system l steda very short time The Company's endeavour to increase production at the expense of maintenance on this system has led to increased satisfaction with the dust condition as bad as when the , Company was paying the 6d an hour