NCB earnings scheme seen in wider context
27th August, 1974Sir Derek Ezra, chairman of the National Coal Board, yesterday expressed hopes for the acceptance by the National Union of Mineworkers of the board's incentive earnings proposals, and suggested that if there were wider acceptance by British industry of the principles the proposals incorporated, the country's economic problems would be eased.
Sir Derek, who was visiting Maltby main colliery, south Yorkshire, said the board was proposing an effective incentive scheme which would benefit the worker, the industry and the country. Nobody could lose as a result of its implementation.
Basic rates now applying would be kept but extra payments for additional productivity would be made. The two principal features of the scheme were that it had to be effective, so it must start at the coalface, and it had to be fair so that everybody who contributed to the success had to benefit.
Outlining what might be termed a blueprint for british industry, Sir Derek said : " This goes deeper and involves more than the coal industry. We want to stimulate people to get more. It is the only positive approach we can make to the country's problems."
In all basic industries, he added, we should be going flat out for the creation of the maximum amount of industrial wealth. We could generate extra resources and share them with all who contributed.
Sir Derek said the NUM would be meeting on September 12, to decide how to proceed with the incentive suggestions. The unions main concern appeared whether the board's proposals would be fair. The union seemed to favour a national scheme but, he said, "we don't consider a national scheme to be effective."
Sir Derek admitted that if the proposals were adopted, there may be disparities between different coal board areas, but he stressed that the new incentives would be additional to existing payments. Geological difficulties in different pits affecting productivity would be taken into account.
He was at Maltby to announce the probable investment of £13m to improve the output and quality of coking coal from south Yorkshire.
Schemes in mind include the installation of skip winding and building new coal preparation plants at Dinnington and Thurcroft collieries and a new coal preparation plant at Orgreave colliery.
