The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-07


 
 that these contracts mutually made should, during their life, be kept invio- lated.
 The United Mine Workers of America, however, undertook to levy an assessment upon its members for the benefit of the anthracite strikers which assessment in the Birmingham district was fixed at Sl per week for each miner.
 "The levying and collection of this as- sessment was a matter pertaining solely to the internal management of the organ ization of United Mine Workers, not em- braced in or contemplated by the con tract of July Il, 1902.
 "In the early part of August certain representatives of the miners employed by the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company at It's Pratt Mines division, called upon the officers of the Tennes- see Coal Iron and Railroad company re- questing that the Tennessee company de- duct $1 per week from the wages of each miner in It's employ, in the Pratt Mines division, and pay the same over to the secretary and treasurer of the local lodge of the United Mine workers of Alabama for the benefit of the striking anthracite miners of Pennsylvania.
 Under No Obligations.
 ''Under its contract, the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company was under no obligations whatsoever to make this or any other collection, except the regu- lar dues for the expenses of the repre- sentatives of the mines. Desirous. how ever of having harmony with it's em- ployes, the officials of the Tennessee com pany stated to the representatives of the Pratt miners that the company would 1.oIro dndf tod no benefit of the anthracite strikers from the wages of such of its coal miners as would in writing ect the company so to do. The officials of the Tennessee com pany stated to the representative of the miners that the company had no power to deduct the sum of $1 per week from the wages of it's employees for the benefit of the anthracite strikers. without the con sent of the employees. The company agreed, in order to facilitate the repre- sent tatfves of the miners in the work of procuring the consent of the employees to the deduction requested, to furnish the representatives with blank orders. each of which could be signed by a number of miners, the same as a number of blank orders, which were in the following form
 Birmingham. Ala, August IA, 1902.
 Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, Birmingham, Ala: Until this order is countermaned in writing, you arc hereby authorized and requested to de- duct from our wages the sum of Si per week and pay same over to the secretary and treasurer of the local United Mine Workers of Alabama, for the benefit of the striking anthracite miners of Penn sylvania. This Is in addition to the usual deduction for expenses of the representa- tives of the miners"
 Procured Signatures.
 'The representatives, of the miners took these blank orders and procured the sig natures thereto of large number of the miners in the service of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company. A number of the miners in the service of the company refused, however, to sign the order or to consent to the deduction sought The representatives of the United Mine Workers of Alabama there- upon demanded of the Tennessee com pany that 1t should compel all of it's miners to pay the contribution assessed by the United Mine Workers of Alabama for the benefit of the anthracite strik- CTS by threatening to discharge from its service such of it's miners as refused to make this contribution. The company stated that it would not coerce any of It's employees into making this contribution in the manner required that the ques- tion as to whether the employees would
  the anthracite strikers was question which each miner must determine for himself Thereupon the officers of the J1njted Mine Workers of Alabama adopt ed A resolution declaring strike at the mines of the Tennessee company and calling upon its employees to cease work.
 Tn view of the facts in this case, which have been fully set out above, the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad com pany submits that the action taken by the officials of the United Mine Workers of Alabama is unjust and clear breach of the contract between the association of operators and the representatives or the miners union of July Il, lsoz.
 Directors Endorse Officers.
 An Associated Press dispatch from New York last night says:
 At the quarterly meeting of the direc- tors of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company held here today, the directors endorsed the action of the off, cers of the company in their refusal to