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THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 19
THE INTERSTATE CONFERENCE—CONFERS
The miners and operators of what are called the
tentral interstate fields went into conference, os­
tensibly, the morning of February 10, in the Belle-
vue-Stratford hotel in Philadelphia, for the pur­
pose of negotiating a wage agreement. This agree­
ment is looked to as the basis for the wage agree­
ments in all fields. On Wednesday, the eleventh
of February, the .miners' representatives presented
the wage demands drafted and approved by the
miners' convention .in Indianapolis last month.
The following-day the rep-«f-*en>tativeS of 1 the
operators made: the _f#_$irF play. Knowing that the
• - , - * . . * * -:
miners, at- thai .instance of their International president,
John Pi White, had voted for a new scheme
of no-suspe^Sion in case negotiations are pending
April 1, the operators offered a proposition in effect
that work continue for all time. Their proposal
was that in.the event an agreement is not reached
by April 1 that work continue and that artjftg-ation
determine the matters at issue and AJiat tWs practice
continue ever hereafter. In oth^j&^-SS^that
ile* miners keep working always ajjsfl*%JoK'C6 arbitration
for-Jtlie answer. Here' is- a^co^f, ol the
document presented to the conffi_4R_K!» -'•,*$
•" • * * » r^_> &*' '•"'
We are- in favor of adoptiBg'iSOThF-siet-i'ofl by
which in the^e-^nd. future negotiations some practical
method, can be-devised by which the directly
opposite views and demands of the miners and
operators can be. settled without entailing the necessity
of strikes and suspensions, which of necessity
are injurious to the public, detrimental to the
best interests of both miners and operators; and
too often are forced, agreements raU_@_af.i_an agreements
based on justice and equity.
The proposition of the miners as presented by
President White, does not remedy the situation,
but only puts off to an uncertain date the inevitable
and absolutely places the operators and the
public at the mercy of the miners' organization,
which have the power to suspend operations at any
time that may be to their advantage or convenience.
The miners' proposition leaves no option
to the operators as to when or how such strike
or suspension shall or may be called.
As a counter proposition and one that will absolutely
settle these disputes for all time, we recommend
the following:
That in these and all future negotiations in
which no settlements have been reached prior to
the expiration of the existing wage agreement, all
questions and controversies be submitted without
restriction to an arbitration board, and that we
agree to abide by the decision of such board and
mat pending the final decision of such arbitration
board, the miners continue to work on the basis
of the terms of the expired contract.
The operators' proposition for no suspension
indefinitely w-as passed over without action. Then
the operators made their counter wage proposition,
which the mineis voted down. After that tne
miners' demands were taken up in order. On
Saturday morning, tbe 14th of February, the first
demand for the mine-run system was under discussion.
Following is the operators' counter proposition:
Whereas, the representatives of the operators
of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
in joint convention with the representatives
of the United Mine Workers of America, have
.been presented with the following demands, as a
basis for the consummation of a contract for two
years commencing April 1, 1914:
First. That all coal be weighed before being
screened and paid for on a mine-run basis.
Second. That' we demand a flat 5 cents per ton
increase at the basing point.
-Third. A 10 per cent, increase on all dead work,
-yardage and day labor.
• Fourth. A uniform work day and wage scale
for all classes-of outside and inside day labor.
Fifth. A proper readjustment of the machine
differential at the basing point.
Sixth. That we demand a complete check-off
* for the miners' organization through the com-
* panies' office.
Seventh. That we demand that all local inequalities
and internal differences be referred to
the various districts affected for settlement.
Eighth. We demand that where the pi ice or
regulation of powder is made a contract provision.
that union-made powder shall be furnished.
Ninth. That the miners work only one-half day
on Saturday.
Tenth. That the company shall pay drivers for
time from taking charge of stock until they, tbe
company, receive same.
Eleventh. We demand that our contract shail be
in effect for two years.
Therefore, be it resolved that in view of the
fact that the highest wages paid to miners in Ihe
world now prevails in the competitive coal mining
fields of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois, and also that the general conditions
of the country call for a decrease of the present
scale of wages rather than an increase, and this
coupled with the relief experienced and further
relief promised by (he government in the cost of
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 62)