The Atlanta constitution., 1902-11-17

| dent of the national organization has no
! authority to inaugurate a strike. Thus
the coal mine operators are afforded a
greater measure OF protection against
strikes than they would have under
separate and independent organization.
Where the United Mine Workers of
America is organized and contracted
with ii assumes the responsibility OF dis
clplInlng Its members. The trade agree
ment has been found effective in keeping
workmen from engaging in local or gen
eral strikes. There have been no strikes
of any magnitude in any of the coal min
exist. We seek to establish the same
method of adjusting wage differences in
the anthracite field.
1t is said that the competition between
anthracite and bituminous coal is a rea-
son upon which the anthracite operators
oppose recognition of the miners or
Sanization. That this objection is neither
valid nor consistent is clearly demon
strated by the fact that many of the rail-
roads ofiicered by the same men who con-
troll the anthracite coal mines enter into
tions. a majority of whose members are
employed upon other and competing
roads.
I'VE demand recognition because We
know that permanent peace and friendly
relations can best he maintained through
a trade agreement with the Organizat tion
which our people have elected to join.
Fully 90 per cent of the employees of the
anthracite coal miners are members of IL
from choice. they desire to retain their
mem heTShip in 1t. Ii was the United Mine
Workers Of America that conferred with
the president of the United States in re-
lation to the submission of the issues in
viewed In the coal strike to this commits
sion. II is the United Mine Workers Of
America that was requested by the presi-
dent to end the strike. 1t was the United
Mine Workers of America that declared
the strike at an end: il was the United
Mine Workers that sent the men back to
work. 9nd il was the United Mine Work
Crs that IS pledged to accept the award
of this commission.
Failure to recognize the organization
was The cause of the many local strikes
against which operators and mine work
crs Jointly complained. There have been
many local strikes during the past year.
the fault of which rests upon operators
and miners alike. The miners failing to
secure redress for their wrongs tthe COM
panies having refused to treat with their
representativeS). had no choice but to
submit to injustice or inaugurate a strike.
Recognition of Union
Recognition Of the union does not mean
ployed by the companies; il simply means
that officers selected by the mine work
ers shall exercise supervision over the or
ganization Or shall counsel with the mine
workers as to how their trade affairs
shall be conducted.
'"rhe miners have as much right to
select spOkesmen to act for them. to pre-
sent their grievances. to manage their
affairs az have the stockholders of anv
one of the anthracite coal companies to
elect their officers 10 perform like func-
tiOnS
For the information of the commission.
we herewith outline, more specifically. a
plan of procedure which. if adopted
would prevent local strikes and preserve
peace and harmony during the time COW
cred by the award Waich you are empow-
cred to make.
First The rate of wages. the hours OF
labor the method of weighing and paying
for the product of the miners work should
he in an Incorporated agreement between
the representatives of the various coal
companies and the repr esentatives of the
org 4niza tion of which the complainantS in
this case are members
Second. There should be an agreement
of conservative repreSen tatiVe mine work.
erS selected by the employees at each
COLI ary: Il should he the duty of this COM
mittee to cooperate with the mine fore
men for the adjustment of local dis
putes which cannot he settled between the
mine foremen and mine workers or the
workers involved: third. should the mine
foremen and mine company fail to adjust
the grievance complained of. the matter
in dispute should be referred TO the COM
pany's superintendent and general
grievance committee. which should be
constituted of representative mine work