River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-03-26
COAL STRIKE REPORT
Abstract of the Findings of Coal
Strike Commission Appointed
by the President.
RECOMMENDATIONS FAVOR THE MINER.
The Commission Recommends an Increase
of Wages. The Miners are Held Not
Altogether BIameIess. Some Decrease
in time Recommended, also stricter En-
forcement of the Child Labor Law.

public on Saturday.
The following is the commissions
digest of the award:
First-That an increase of 10 per cent
over and above the rates pald IN the
month OF April, 1902, be paid to all CON
and other work for which standard rates
or allowance existed at that tune, from
and after Nov. l. 1902, and during the
life OF this award The amount OF in
crease under the award due for work
done between Nov. l, 1902, and April l,
1903, to be paid on or before June l, 1903.
,Second-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 l. 1908,
to be paid on or before June 1. 1908; and
the life of the award, they shall have
elght-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 all
increase of 10 per cent on the Wages
which were effective in the several posi-
uonS in April, 1902.
Hosting engineers and other engineers
and pumpmen, other than those employee
in hosting water, who are employed IN
positions which are manned continuously"
shall have an increase of 10 per cent of
their earnings between Nov. /, 1917. ana
April l, 1903, to be paid on or before
June l, 1903; and from and after April l,
1908, and during the life of the award,
they shall have an increase of 5 per cent
on the rates of wages which were eff
fective in the several positions in April,
1902; and in addition they shall be re-
l1eved from duty on Sundays, Wlthou'
loss of pay, by a man provided by the
employer to relieve them during the hours
of the day shift
That fremen shall have an increase of
10 per cent on their earnings between
Nov. /. 1902. and April /. 1903, to be paid
on or before June /, 1903; and from and
after April l, 1903, and during the life
of this award, they shall have eight hour
shifts, with the same wages per day.
week, or month. as We're paid in each POI
sition 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 Nov. l, 1902,
and April l. 1903, to be paid on or before
June /, 1903, and from and after April
l. 1903, and during the life of this award
they shall be paid on the basis Of nine
hour day, receiving theref0r the same
wages as were paid April, 1902. for n ten
hour day. Overtime in excess Of nine
hours in any day to be paid at proper
tional rate per hour.
Third-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 awards it is provided
that allowances like those made shall be
paid to the legal representatives of such
employees as may have died since Nov. 1,
1902.
Fourth-Any difficulty or disagreement
Interpretation or application, or in any
way growing out of the rela tons of the
employers and employed which cannot be
settled or adjusted by consultation be-
tween the superintendent or manager OF
the mine or mines, and the miner or min
erS directly interested, or is of scope
too large to be settled or adjuS ted, shall
be referred to a permanent joint commit
tee to be called a board of Cancellation, to
consist of six 9ers0ns appointed as IS here
shall be a division of the whole region
into three districts, in each of which
there shall exist an organization repre-
senting a majority of the mine workers
of such district, one of said board OF con-
citation shall be appointed by each or
said organizations and three other persons
shall be appointed by the operators, the
operators in each of said districts ap-
pointing one person.
The board of Cancellation thus consti-
tuted shall take up and consider any ques-
ton referred to it as aforesaid, hearing
both parties to the controversy and such
evidence as may be laid before it by eth
er party and any award made by ma
jority of such board of Cancellation shall
be final and binding on all parties If,
however, the board is unable to decide
thereto. that question or point shall be
referred to an umpire to be appointed at
the request of said board, by one of the
circuit judges of the third judicial circuit
of the United States. whose decision shall
be final and binding in the premises.
The membership of said board shall at
all times be kept complete, either the
operators or miners organizations having
the right at any time when a controversy
is not pending to change their representa-
At all hearings before said board the
parties may be represented by such per-
son or persons as they may respectively
select.
No suspension of work shall take place,
by lockout or strike, pending the adJu-
dication of any matter so taken up for
adjustment
Fifth-When requested by a majority,
of the contract miners of any colliery,
check weighmen or check docking bosses,
or both shall be employed.
The wages of said check Welghmen and
check docking bosses shall be fixed. col
lected and paid by the miners in such
manner as the said miners shall by
majority vote elect. and when requested
by majority of said miners the opera
tors shall pay the wages fixed for check
weighmen and check docking bosses out
of deductions made proportional tely from
the earnings of the said miners, on such
basis as the majority of said miners shall
Sixth-NIine cars shall be distributed
among the miners who are at work as
uniformly and as equitably as possible,
and there shall be no concerted effort on
the part of the miners or mine workers
of any colliery or collieries to limit the
output Of the mines or to distract from
the quality of the work performed, unless
such limitation of output be in conform
ity to an agreement between an operator
or operators and an organlza ton repre-
Senting a majority of said miners in his
or their employ.
Seventh-In all cases where miners are
paid by the car. the increased award to
cars in use, the topping required, and the
rates paid per car which were in force
on April 1, 1902 Any increase in the size
be accompanied by a proportionate in
crease in the rate paid per car.
Eighth-The following sliding scale of
wages shall become effective April l. 1908
and shall affect all miners and mine
workers included in the awards of the
commission.