Manpower Loss Threatens Coal

As has been pointed out many times by critics of the Government's policies towards mining, this industry has become so unattractive that skilled men are leaving in droves. Speaking on this question last week end, Mr. Richard Marsh, Minister of Power, said at the Yorkshire miners! galat "The industry is losing far too many trained miners. The position is that the rate at which the introduction of machines can save men has fallen behind the rate at which the industry is losing men, The Financial Times of Monday, June 20th, commented: "In the past eight weeks, the industry has lost at least 7,300 trained miners - many in areas where they are most needed. Coal Board returns show that the total number of colliery workers has declined to just under 427,000 and the loss of only another 12,000 men means that the coal labour force will have slumped to a point which the National Plan did did not foresee until 1970." Later it explained ¥....The overall figures appear to indicate that many of these men have decided to leave the mines for good. At the same time, miners leaving key areas (such as Yorkshire) are seriously aggravating the growing problem of maintaining economic rates of productione" Instead of Mr. Marsh lecturing Yorkshire miners he ought to tell the N.C.B. that it mst pay higher wages — at the expense of compensation payments, if need be.