Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-23

INC dlilHTdClle coal Strlke, udS UeeH
made public. The report is dated
March IS and is signed by al the
members of the commission, who are
Judge George Gray, OF Delaware;
Labor Commissioner Carroll fDl
Wright and B?igader General John NJ.
Wilson, both of this city; Bishop John
L. Spalding, of Illinois; Thomas n.
Watkins, Of Pennsylvania and Ed
ward w. Parker, of this city. The re-
port is to be illustrated and it will be
accompanied by the testimony taken
by the commission, but thus far only
the report proper has been printed.
This alone covers eighy-seven pages
of printed matter
In brief the commission recommends
a general increase of wages, amount
ing in most instances to 10 per cent
some decrease of time; the settlement
of all disputes by arbitration; fixes q
minimum wage and a sliding scale;
provides against discrimination of per-
sons by either mine owners or the
miners, on account of membership or
non-membersnip in a labor union and
provides that the awards made shall
continue in force until March 81, 1906.
The commission discussed to some eX-
tent the matter of recognition or non
recognition of miners union but de-
clined to make any award on this
matter.
Summary by the Commission.
Following is the commissions own
summary of the awards made:
1. That an increase of 10 per cent,
over and above the rates paid in the
month of April, 1902, be paid to all
contract miners for cutting coal,
yardage and other work for which
standard rates or allowances existed
at that time, from and after Nov. 1,
1902 and during the life of this award.
The amount of increase under the
award due for work done between No
vember, 1902, and April /, 1903, to be
paid on or before June /, 1903
II. That engineers who are en-
ployed in hosting water shall have
an increase of 10 per cent on their
earnings between Nov. l, 1902, and
April 1, 1903, to be paid on or before
June 1, 1903; and from and after April
1, 1903, and during the life of the
award, they shall have eight hour
shifts, with the same pay which was
effective in April. 1902, and where
they are now working eight hour
shifts, the eight-hour shifts shall
have an increase of 10 per cent on
the wages which were effective in the
several positions in April, 1902.
Hosting engineers and other engi-
neers and pumpmen, other than those
employed in hosting water. who are
employed in positions which are
manned continuously, shall have an
increase of 10 per cent on their earn
ings between November /, 1902, and
April 1, 1908, to be paid on or before
June 1, 1903: and from and after April
1, 1903, and during the life of the
award, they shall have an increase
of 5 per cent on the rates of wages
which were effective in the several
positions in April, 1902; and in addi-
ton they shall be relieved from duty
on Sundays, without loss of pay, by
a man provided by the employer to
relieve them during the hours of the
day shift.
Increase for FIremen.
That firemen shall have an increase
of 10 per cent on their earnings be-
tween November, 1902, and April I,
1908, to be paid on or before June
1, 1903, and from and after April /,
1908, and during the life of the award
they shall have eight-hour shifts, with
do
month as were paid in each position
in April, 1902. All employees or COM
pany men, other than those for whom
the commission makes special awards
shall be paid an increase of 10 per
cent on their earnings between No
vember 1, 1902, and April 1, 1903, and
during the life of this award they
shall be paid on the basis of nine
hour day, receiving therefor the same
wages as were paid in April, 1902, for
a ten-hour day. Overtime in excess
of nine hours in any day to be paid
at a proportional rate per hour.
III. During the life of this award
the present methods of payment for
coal mined shall be adhered to unless
changed by mutual agreement
In all of the above rewards 1t is
provided that allowances like those
made shall be paid to the legal repre-
sentatives of such employees as may
have died since November !, 1902.
For Settlement of Disputes.
". ANY difficulty or disagreement
arising under this award, either as to
It's Interpretation or application, or in
any way growing out of the relations
of the employers and employed, which
cannot be settled or adjusted by con-
suItation between the superintendent
or manager of the mine or mines, and
the miner or miners directly interested,
or is of a scope too large to be settled
or adjusted, shall be referred to a
permanent joint committee, to be
called a board of cancellation, to consist
of six persons, appointed as hereinaf-
ter provided. That is to say, if there
shall be division of the whole region
sr4o t1.roo in ooah Of xuIf..I,