Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-24
THE RIVAL MINING UNIONS
To AmaIgamate and Acc in CO-OperatiOn
for the Interests of the Craft

To Amalgamate and AcC in C0-OperatiOn
for the Interests of the Graft.
A joint address was yesterday prepared by
the officials of N. d. A. I35 and the National
Progressive Miners Union, embodying plans
for the amalgamation of the two organizations,
and it will be at once issued to the members of
each. 1t is proposed to effect the consolidation
without sacrificing the essential features Of
either The work is to be completed at a joint
convention to be held In Columbus on January
q
The address refers to the rivalry which has
existed between the two organizations; de-
plores the energy which has been uselessly ex-
pended in a contest for supremacy; remarks on
the large percentage of miners who. as a result
of the disunion, remain out of both, and de-
clares that the little interest taken in running
affairs by the men most concerned and the con-
dition to which the craft is reduced is due to
the inability of the two organizations to unite
for the common veal. This has led to reduc-
ton of wages and renders the miners and off,
cials of both organizations powerless to resist
imposition and assert their rights as wagework-
ers. The address continues:
The writer's of this met and agreed upon the
following plan, which we believe, if adopted
would unite our forces upon a basis satisfactory
to the members of both organizations, and
bring about the benefcient results that all de-
mand: First-To unite the two organizations
under one head to govern and protect the in
terests of miners and mine laborers; this union
to be effected without sacrificing the essential
features of either organizations. Second-The
organization to be divided into national dis
trict and local divisions, the meetings of which
are to be either secret or open, as the members
may determine or the exigencies of the case
may require; that is to say. the meaning of the
Construed cia pss as applying to the sns" meet
ings of the National Progressive Union or
the K. Of l. as the casesmay be- Third-Equal
taxation upon affiliated members. Fourth
The staff of officers for the National Districts
nd auiz in uhi dua
shall be made for visiting and directing the
business of both branches of the organization.
The necessity for unifcation of our forces
demands that all the members of both existing
unions, and even those miners not connected
with either, shall give these propositions their
careful thought and study in order that they
may be better prepared to intelligently consid-
er the adoption and the modification of the
policy.
Signed John B. Rae. NJ. Workman N. 7. d.
1876, K. of L.; Robert Watchorn, Secretary
Treasurer n. I. d. l35; John Mcbride, Presi-
dentN. P. V; Patrick McBryde. Secretary
Treasurer n: P: ": David Ross for N. P. v. |
President Mcbride has issued a call for the |
annual convention, to take place at Columbus
on the 22d Of January. In doing this Mr.. Nc
Bride has taken advantage of a special dispen- |
sation. as the constitution provides that the |
annual convention shall be held in February |
Tuesday, the 22d, is the day which N. I. D. |
1S5 will hold its annual convention, and Mr.. |
Mcbride's changing the date of his conven- |
tion, is for the purpose of trying to effect an |
amalgamation with the Knights of Labor. |
Every mine throughout the country will send |
delegates, and it will be the largest convention
of miners ever held in America, as well as the |
first time in which the tao organizations sat |
together as one.
Robert Watchorn was in the city yesterday |
on his way to Courtney. He expressed the |
greatest hope for q successful outcome of the |
joint Columbus convention and said that here |
after coal operators throughout the country |
would not deal with conflicting officials. but |
with an united organization. The new union |
will have one set of officers and one treasury.