coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 21
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REACHES WAGE SETTLEMENT—INDIANA,
ILLINOIS AND WEST VIRGINIA STILL DICKERING—
OHIO DEADLOCKED
The action of the policy committee of the United
Mine Workers of America, in recommending
that the miners of the different districts remain at
work and that the different districts endeavor to
adjust their wage scales by districts, was approved
by the referendum vote of the United Mine Workers,
according to an official announcement made
at the headquarters of the union April 25.
The vote, as computed by the international tellers,
was 89,524 in favor of the recommendation
and 52,076_ in opposition to it, the majority in
support of the recommendation being 37.447i votes.
Immediately following the announcement of the
referendum vote, a circular letter was sent out to
the members of the organization urging them to
pay their assessments as soon as possible.
UP TO REFERENDUM IN CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.
The wage scale question is up to a referendum
in the Central Pennsylvania or No. 2 district, this
referendum to be taken May 4, and the vote to
be in the district headquarters May G.
The mine workers' officials of the district requested
that the operators meet with them in
Clearfield, April 24, to discuss the wage scale and
endeavor to arrange for a settlement. This meeting
lasted two days, the miners presenting several
propositions, including the one relative to
the pushing of cars, but the operators voted to
refuse all of the demands of the men.
In return tbey offered the miners the 1912 scale,
and after a lengthy session April 25, tbis was
adopted, subject to the referendum vote of the
miners of the district. The agreement is to be
for two years, and is to become effective if approved
by the membership of the union. The
final signing of the scale will depend on the result
of the vote.
Following the agreement of the two scale committees,
some of the mines of the district opened,
but with curtailed forces, as many of the men
will not go back to work until tbe final decision
is reached on the wage scale.
ILLINOIS STILL NEGOTIATING.
Illinois operators and mine workers are still negotiating
over tbe wage scale, and tbe mine workers
have called their state convention to reconvene
today (April 30). These are the big points
in the situation in that state.
The joint conference of the operators and the
miners has been in session practically ever since
tbe middle of April, and many of the points at
issue have been settled, but tbe main ones, the
wage scale for tbe three southern counties, the
yardage rate, and the arbitration question remain
open.
On the first mentioned question the miners demand
an increase of 4 cents per ton, which the
operators refuse to grant.
The uniform rate for machine yardage is one
that is causing discussion. The present rate
varies from $1.30 to $1.92, and the miners demand
that it shall be $1.92 in all the fields of the
state.
The arbitration question also is open, the miners'
committee itself being divided on tbe advisability
of adopting it, the vote being a tie.
The arbitration board proposed would consist
of one member appointed by the operators, another
by the miners and three to be named by
Dr. J. A. Holmes, director of the V. S. Bureau of
Mines, the board to be a permanent one.
These three important questions, therefore, are
to be settled.
The powder question has been settled, the old
price to prevail. The union label item of this
demand has been disposed of by the operators
agreeing "not to discriminate against any manufacturer."
The issues yet remaining to be settled are in
tbe bands of the following sub-committee: For
the operators: Illinois Coal Operators' association.
A. J. Mooreshead, W. L. Schmick, E. T. Bent;
Fifth and Ninth District association, L. F. Lumaghi,
H. T. Perry; Third District association, George
Wood. For the mineis: Duncan McDonald,
James Lord, Harry Fishwash, Thomas J. Hitchings,
Jos. Jeffreys, Evan Evans, Joseph Pope f exofficio,
being the miners' president).
Just what bearing the reconvened session of the
miners' convention will have on the wage negotiations
remains to be seen. It is reported that
the convention, when it assembles today (April
30) will have as one of its slated actions the
deposition of President Joseph Pope. This naturally
will elevate Vice President Adolph Germer,
and will put the radical element in control of the
organization.
April 28 the operators issued their ultimatum
to the miners. Tbey absolutely refuse the four
per cent, increase the miners are demanding in
the Southern field and also refuse to submit any
dispute to sub-district conventions for settlement