The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-16

Hazleton, Aug. 15.-At todays ses-
sion of the United Mine Workers the
report of the scale committee was
adopted practically as presented. Af-
ter reciting the many grievances which
the mine workers have against the
operators and coal companies as re-
CARDS wages, hours of work, dockage,
the company store system, weight of
cars and discrimination in favor of
non-union men, the committee invited
the operators and coal companies to
meet the miners in Joint conferences
in this city on Aug. 27, when all differ
ences complained of are to be dis
cussed and, If possible, satisfactorily
settled.
The scale committee did not report
a scale of wages, because 1t was de-
cided that to take such action would
be unfair to the coal companies and
operators before the latter and the
miners meet in Joint conference to
agree upon q scale. A permanent
scale committee will be appointed to
collect all necessary data relating to
wages and have it ready for presenta-
tion at the Joint conference.
Report of Scale Committee.
The report of the scale committee
follows:
I'VE, the miners Of the anthracite
fields, in convention assembled, after
mature deliberation, desire to make a
full statement of facts and declarations
of our purposes, to the end that the
many misstatements which have been
given to the public concerning our
cause may be corrected.
1T is a well-known fact that during
the past two or three years the cost of
many of the necessarles of life has
been increased in many instances
twenty, thirty, forty and even fifty per
cent. while our wages have not been
increased to any extent whatever. An
increase in the cost of living without
a corresponding increase in wages is
equivalent to a reduction In wages, a
condition we have patiently submitted
to until patience no longer makes con-
ditions bearable. The miners of the
other coal regions have had their
wages increased, while ours have re-
mained stationary, or have been re-
duced. One of the conditions which
our operators have always cOntended
prevented them from conceding better
wages and conditions has been the
competition from the bitumihous coal
fields. That competition cannot longer
be complained of to the same extent,
because the wages of the bituminous
-miners have been increased on an aver
age of forty per cent and their hours
of labor have been reduced to eight per
day. If our operators were able to
compete before this advance took place
they ought to be well able to compete
now.
Notwithstanding the increased cost
of all commodities, including coal,
which increase in the market price of
coal would enable our employers to
pay us far better wages than they do.
we are now and have been in the past
compelled by force of circumstances
and conditions Of employment that are
not conducive to the public welfare
and submit to many grievances that
are very burdensome, and should be
abolished
I'VE are fully convinced that many
of these grievances our employers
have never heard of, because they have
not come in contact with their en-
plOyes and know nothing OF their
wrongs, few of which we herewith
state:
while the price per car has not ap-
parently been decreased, yet a system
has been ruthlessly followed by most
of the companies in the region by
which the price per car has really been
reduced. The list OF grievances is as
follows:
List of Grievances.
/. This is the system OF dockage
which runs from ana to 10 per cent.
and sometimes 25 per cent. and no