The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-08
Operators With One Exception
Agree TO Scale Proposed by
the Joint Committee
TWOCONvENTIONS WERE HELD
In Miners Convention Good Feeling
Prevailed, But Some Insisted On
the Demand for a Two
Weeks Pay Day.

me United Mine workers wage scale
has not yet been disposed Of and con-
tract may not be signed today, but there
is every probability that the coal opera
tors and the miners will conclude a set
Element this week.
Pursuant to call. special conventions of
operators and the United Mine Workers
were held yesterday for the purpose of
receiving and considering the report of
the Joint scale committee which was
framed last Saturday. The miners met
at st. Pauls Hall at 10 a. m. and the
operators met at Fox's Hall at the same
hour Both conventions were well at
tended. Edward Flynn presided over the
miners and F. NJ jackson over the ope-
rators. There was no joint meeting yes
terday but one has been arranged for
today.
Operators Agree.
The Coal Operators Association agreed
to the report of the Joint committee which
calls for IS cents maximum wage for
the miners and eliminates the demands
for an eight-hour day and two weeks
pay day. but advances day labor pay and
requires a uniform classification OF la
Dor at all the mines. Before 1t was adopt
ed, however, there was spirited debate
and several members protested earnestly
against the day labor claims and certain
less important concessions that were made
by the operators in committee and w f.
Aldrich, president OF the Montevallo
Coal and Transportation Company with
drew from the association.
In the miners convention good feeling
Is said to have prevailed but a majority
of the delegates insisted on pressing the
demand for two weeks pay day. A
considerable part of the day was taken
up with a discussion of this question.
The original demand for an increase of
cents ton on the price of digging coal
was dropped without much opposition and
so was the demand for an eight-hour day,
but a number of influential delegates
talked strongly against giving up the pay
day demand. Many of them were In ia
vor of referring the report of the COM
mittee to the locals for action but 1t is
believed that the convention will settle
everything today
Committee Appointed.
A committee was appointed to call on
the operators when the miners are ready
to meet the operators.
Adjournment was taken until this
morning at ten. The sessions We're exc
cutive and very little was given out for
publication. w. r. Farley, member of
the national executive committee said:
THE convention has not completed it's
business but it will probably finish Tues
day. This is about all 1 can say"
The operators also declined to make
any statements for publication further
than that the association would be ready
to meet the miners today. In this joint
convention there will be some debate
of course. Both sides have excellent de-
baters and the wage question always
draws them out. But as the various
points at Issue have been pretty well
thrashed out todays session will not be
unduly prolonged. 1t is thought.
If a contract is signed this afternoon,
many OF the men will return to work
within the next two or three days, but
the mines will hardly be in full operation
before next week.