The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-11

the benefit of the family of the deceased or his legal representative, to be collected through the office of the company. Tn the event the mines are thrown idle on &C., count of the miners or other employees failure to report for work in the time intervening between the time of acci- dent and the funeral, or on the day of the funeral. then the company shall not be called upon for the payment of the $25 above referred to- Except in cases of fatal accidents as above, the mine shall in no case be thrown idle because of any death or funeral; but in the case of the death of any employe of the company or member of his family, any individual miner may, at his option, absent himself from work for the purpose of attending such funeral, but not otherwise.
 Bumpers, Engineers and Others.
 We contend that the class of employees, such as bumpers, engineers and other men who are regulating and directing the work of employees, should not be members of the miners union. as bumpers. engin- eers and others have the care of the property. This is essentially important so that the property can be thoroughly pro tected in case of a cessation of work on the part of the miners.
 Owing to the great loss sustained by the miners and operators caused by the stop page of work when negotiating for a new contract. we contend that for the benefit of all work should continue for a given time at least based on terms of the pre- vious contract, with the understanding that any changes made should date from the termination of the old contract.
 Differential Between Mines.
 Pratt Mines having been the first con siderable coal development in Alabama, the Pratt seam has through years become the standard base of contract: the theory being to adjust other mines in accordance with the Pratt seam. taking Into eonsid- eration the varying conditions. In many cases the price fixed on other seams and at various mines has been the result of ar- bitrary demands on the part of the miners at those places without giving due consid- eration to the advantages or disadvant- ages of production in comparison with the Pratt seam. The Pratt scale during the year ending June 90. 1913. for convenience the maximum wage in the sliding scale. fixed the price at 50 cents under three feet 571s cents from three to thrty-eght inches, and over thirty-eight inches. 55 cents. As the coal becomes thinner the tonnage the miner can produce decreases and the difficulty of work increases. and the converse is true; so that. as the coal gets thicker the tonnage which the miner can produce increases
 Sliding Scale.
 We submit that a sliding scale applying to all mines involved should be adopted based on the varying thickness of the coal And we submit the following as an equit- able scale which can be fairly applied to all mines:
 Thirty inches and under. 62ia cents from 30 inches to 36 inches. 50 cents; 36 to 4S. 55 cents: AS to 54. 50 cents; 50 to 60. 471s cents; 60 to 70. 45 cents.
 As stated for convenience In making up the above figures. the maximum wage based on the sliding scale on the price of pig iron, has been used and the above figures should. of course, be changed in accordance with reductions in the prices of pig iron as fixed by the sliding scale
 The operators should have the right to sub-contract portions of the mines If found desirable
 Employers claim the right, when deemed necessary to the interest of their busi- ness. to employ either union or non-union men and protect against discrimination against either.
 Collection of Dues.
 In as much as there have been misunder- standings in the past growing out of the collection of dues for the United Mine