Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-11-04
STATE:MIlE:nTIS0UT
That of Mine Workers Filed
With Commissioners.
OPERATORS WILL MAKE REPLY

Per Cent Over PricesS Paid Last
Year-They Ask the Adoption of a
New System Of Weighing and Pay
ing fer Coal-And Tneg Also Ask a
Reduction III the HeuIs Of LABOR
Without Reuucrion il fay.
Hazeiton, "a, Nov 4.-4he statement
or tue aAlnIaclLe Dlle WCfhSIs eilse,
Whpcn WAS med VAIN Glle slrIAe coln>
tnlssIon Oh sunday nigA, Was nlaue
/ paDiIc to-tlay. UopIes o. me slaLeIlvnt
litIve been Iurnlsueu TO the operators,
VINO Will reply III three or -FOUR DAYS.
lne miners slalenenE III run fol
| lows:
10 the Aathraeite Coal Strike Commits
sion:
1sne mine workers make of the opera
ters the following demands, WnIcn
| We're formulated ny the snamokin CON
Vention, held March Is to n, and tor
the enforcement of which the strike
Was inaugurated.
First. An increase Of. 20 per cent
upon the prices paid during the year
l9oI to employees performing contract
or piece work
Ills demand is made On account of
the following reasons:
j. The present rate of wages is
much lower than the rate Of wages
paid in the bituminous coal fields for
substantially similar work.
z. The present rate OF wages is lower
than is paid in other Occupations re
curing equal skill and training.
8. The average annual earnings in
the anthracite coal fields are much less
than the average annual earnings in
the bituminous coal fields for substan-
tally similar work.
4. The average annual earnings i'll
the anthracite coal fields are much less
than the average annual earnings for
occupations requiring equal skill and
training.
Q. Ihe rate of wages in the anthra-
cite coal fields is insufficient to COM
pensate the mine workers in view Of
the dangerous character of the occu-
patton ID relation to accidents, the LA
plilfy TO serious and permanent, disease
the hlgh death rate and the short aver.
age LIE incident to this employment.
.. Ihe annual earnings Of the mine
workers are insufficient to maintain the
American standard Of living.
IS The increased cost of living has
mace It impossible to maintain d fair
standard OF life upon the basis of pres.
ehI wages and has not only prevented
the NINE workers from securing any
peneht from increased prosperity. but
LAS MADE thelr condition poorer on ac-
count OF it.
g The wages of the anthracite mine
workers are SO low that their children
o1v
efs and mills instead of being s1IpDort-t
ed and educated upon the earnings IF
their parents.
y. Wages are below the fair and inst
earnings OF mine workers in this indus
try 80 -
Second. A reduction Of 90 ner cent
10 nours of labor without anv redlc-
ton of earnings for all employees maid
by the hour. day or week.
The second demand is similar tn the
nrst in that it is designed to increase
Ine hourly rate of wages of mine work
eFs employed by the hour, day or week.
and all the reasons applicable to the
llrsL demand are asked to be applied
20 the second with repetition. In addi-
ZION thereto we submit the following:
~. Ine ten-nour day is detrimental
TO the health life, safety and we'll
Delng Of the mine workers.
~. Snorter hours improve the nhvsi ]
cal, mental and moral conditions of the
workers. ~
-. shorter hours increase the in
tenslty and efficiency of labor.
r. lhe tendency of national and
state government of organized trade
ana OF production generally is toward
shorter hours. -
4. a working. day of eight hours IS
suInclently long for the best interests
OF tlle Workingmen and of the com
90
Ihird. The adoption Of a system ~
Whlch coal shall be weighed and maid
Tor by weight wherever DracticahIa.
the minimum rate per ton te ba eo !
cents for legal ton of 224O ponnds.
the dlfferentials now existing a tha |
various III mines to be maintained.
lnIs demand is made on account IF I
the Following reasons
!; measurement by the legal ton
Wherever practicable is the only bnnast I
ana just system of measuring the earn
lngs Of mine workers. m Il
When the operators sell or trans.
port coal it is on the basis Of Legal
ton of 2,240 pounds.
excessive ton was originally I
inIended to compensate the oneratol.
LOT the weight of the small sizes of I
coal which We're then discarded hut
Whlch are now utilized and sold and
therefore,, there is no present NECESSITY
aor the use of any other than the legal /
ton. sAie iossai
Z. The adoption of this system would
an incentive, both to the on
orator and the worker, to cheatino and /
1lshonesty. and would aIlay jealousy
among the miners and prevent unirst
and favoritism.
O. The change of the present svstam
20 the one asked for would prove q
strong factor in allaying suspicion and
among the mine workers
Fourth. The incorporation in an
agreement between the United Nina
workers of America and the anthra.
slte coal companies of the wages which
shall be paid and the conditions Of en-
oioyment which shall obtain, together
with satisfactory methods for the ad-
ustment Of grievances which NAV
arise from time to time to the. end that
strikes and lock-outs may be unneces-
,ary.
In support Of this demand we sub
nit the following reasons:
4. The anthracite mine workers