The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-04
MINERS ASSESSMENT
is CUT FIFTY CENTS
Union Has Sufficient Funds 10
Merit Decrease
MAXIMUM WAGES ARE PAID
On Account of Increase In the Selling
Price of Iron Union Miners Are
Granted SIZE Cents Ton
for Mining Coal.
MAXIMUM WAGES ARE PAID

The assessment of 81 week levied
against the union miners at work in the
Birmingham district, which has been in
vogue since the first day of last July,
has been reduced to so cents. Edward
Flynn, president of the United Mine
workers of this district, says that the
union has more money in the treasury
than 1t did when the strike began.
AS there are about 5000 men at work
a whole $500 a week.
Since the executive board of the ma
tional organization passed a resolution
last August offering the local board all
the financial assistance 1t needed in the
strike, the district treasury has had am
pie funds to meet all calls. In view of
this fact the district executive board of
the miners union met last week and
voted unanimously to cut down the
weekly assessment one-half
This cut in assessment was made be-
cause we had ample money in the treas
ury to meet all demands" said Presi-
dent Flynn, land because we were given
we could get more If desired. We have
been conducting the strike for six months
now, and l think l can truthfuly say that
not union miner has suffered for lack
of provision or fuel to keep his house
warm during the winter months There
have been no complaints that amounted
to anything and, in fact, when we pro-
"a
sessment some of the miners offered to
double their assessment instead of cut
ting It,
Settlement Not In Sight,
mo, 1 have heard nothing that would
indicate anything looking to a settle
ment of the strike. We have made no adj
vances and none has been made from the
operators We believe we are right and
are going ahead. Right will triumph
eventually"
A conversation with Mr.. flynn devel-
oped the fact that it has cost the miners
about $4,000 a week to conduct the strike
This would amount to more than $50 900
month. In other words since the strike
began the miners have spent something
the men who quit work. |. is estimated
by some that the companies have spent
considerably more than double this
amount in their efforts to get out a nor
NAL production of coal
On account of the advance to S1s a ton
average in the price of iron the union
miners were granted another advance In
wages yesterday of 21a cents a ton for
mining coal. This gives them 57Da cents a
ton, which is the maximum. According
to the union scale 471a cents is the
minimum.
Notice of Maximum Wages.
The following notice was issued yes
terday:
Birmingham, January 3, 1906
We, the committee representing the
miners and operators Who are working
under temporary contracts, having this
day examined the trade reports and
such other books as could be brought
before us, have found that the average
price OF iron for the month Of December,
1904 including all grades except silver
gray and white, entities the miners to an
advance of two and one-half (21a) cents
per ton on the Pratt basis, making the
price of mining fifty-seven and one-half
(57Ia) cents, which is the maximum with
a corresponding increase In all dead work
and day labor governed by the mining
scale
(SigneD ED. FLYNN.
w. r. FARLEY,
b. T.. RODEN,