The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-03-26
REPORT OF ARBITERS
Strike Commission Awards Much
TO the Miners.
NO RECOGNITION OF THE UNION
Ten Per cent increase in Wages, Re-
duction of Hours of Work and
Provision for Arbitration
Principal Concessions.

The report Of the anthracite coal
strike commission was made public
at Washington Saturday morning.
1t provides in general for an in
crease of ten per cent in the rates Of
wages paid contract miners and for
reduction in the hours per day Of the
other mine workers.
Water hoisting engineers are to
work hereafter in eight hour shifts,
with ten per cent increase in wages
where they were working heretofore
in such shifts.
Firemen are to have elght-hour
shifts without an increase.
The other mine workers are to be
paid the same wages on the basis of
nine-hour day that they have been
receiving for ten-hour day.
A board Of arbitration IS provided
for to settle disputes arising out OF
the Interpretation or application OF
the commissions awards, to consist OF
three members selected by the opera
tors and three by the miners organi-
zation, and an umpire in case OF tie,
to be appointed by one Of the circuit
judges of the Third Judicial district
of the United States.
No strikes or lockouts shall take
place pending adjudication by this
board.
Union Not Recognized.
The commission declines to recog-
nize the United Mine Workers OF
America as such, by compelling oper-
ators to enter into any contract with
that organization, but nullifes this in
the manner above stated by providing
that the miners organization shall
have a hand in the machinery where
by the findings of the commission
shall be put into effect.
The third demand Of the miners,
which was that coal be paid for by
| weight wherever practicable, was re-
fused, the commission refraining from
making an obligatory award.
It declined to fix the standard OF
ton where coal is paid for by weight
and from imposing upon the owners
Of collieries where coal Is now mined
and paid for by the car the obligation
to pay by weight and make the change
in the plants necessary therefor.
A sliding scale is provided whereby
miners may increase their earnings
according to the increase in the mar
ket price for coal, the above rates
awarded being in all cases minimum.
There shall be no discrimination
against any workman because OF his
mem bership or non-membership IN
| labor organization nor snail there be
any interferences by union men with
non-union men.
The awards shall continue In force
until March 81, 1906.
The entire report Of the commission
comprises 81 printed pages or $4,000
words.
Loss Incurred by Strike.
Particular stress is laid by members
of the commission upon the fact that
| the findings were unanimous. A large
part of the report is devoted to the
history of the strike and a review OF
the conditions prevailing in the an
! thracite regions.
One chapter deals with losses oc-
casioned by the strike. Tho total de-
crease in the production is estimated
at s46,1O0,OOO. The total loss In
wages is $25,OOo,OOO. There was ex-
pended about s1,SOO,OOO in relief funds
and the total decrease of freight re-
ceipts is placed at s2S,0C0,OO0. The
aggregate loss is therefore approx
mately 100000, 900. ".'.