New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-19
MINERS CHARGE DELAY
CONSIDER ARBITRATION.
Subcommittee of SeUen Receives
Hundreds of Complaints.

Tho an+bracite miners subcommittee OF seven
took I'D the question of amending the methods OF
arbitration of the Cancellation board under the
award Of the Anthracite Strike Commission, yes
terdev at the Ashland House. This question IS
considered second in importance only 10 the gen.
eral eight hour demand for all the miners which
1t has been decided to make
The committee after considering hundreds Of
resolutions letters and kilograms received from all
parts Of the anthracite field. suggesting amend
ments adjourned for the day at p. m Nearly
all the letters and resolutions contained complaints
of delay in the arbitration OF grievances or from
three to six or eight months. In one case u was
asserted It was fourteen months from the time the
ORIGINAL complaint was made until it finally
adjusted According the reports which we're
considered, the present method OF arbitrating
grievances was practically useless, SO far as any
benefit to the miners was concerned. 1t was con-
tended.
The cancellation board consists OF three operators
and three miners. The board meets at stated in
tervaIs and the miners say that the operators can
cause tie vote by voting against the miners.
The question then comes before the operator or
operators directly concerned. Then another hear
ing is held. at which the operator operators
present. and If agreement is not reached the
matter is referred TO an umpire. This involves
delay. The umpire calls the committee to-
gether for hearing. and then takes his own time
TO deliver his decision.
Under the award the following unofficial state
ment made on behalf of some of the miners:
1t is understood that the decisions are to be
retroactive in their character. No matter how long
the ee mas hey peOe TO S M oa
starts from the first; When fines which are decided
to ODE, be RENTED AS matter Of fact so much delsy
settled the miners are tired and accept less than
they are entitled to- The present methods OF the
cerned, are sometimes farcicaI, and the employers
have the advantage every time, as the delays some
times discourage miners from submitting grew
The general belief yesterday that the oper-
ators would take the stand that the conditions
under the award OF the anthracite strike COM
mission had been generally satisfactory. and that
its methods had worked we'll. They will probably
be opposed TO any change in the methods Of ar
bitratng grievances. and will contend that the
methods of the Cancellation board worked we'll, as
shown by three years OF prosperity the part OF
the miners. For this reason 1T was decided by the
miners committee to draw up written form OF
proposed changes OF methods in order 10 avoid
debate the subject. but simply to put in tabu-
lated form the letters and resolutions from the
miners themselves stating the delays in bringing
about the adjustment of grievances.
While the employer operators say they will not
grant the general eight-hour workday under any
consideration. or two Of the miners think that
this point may be got over in some way The
others. however. believe that deadlock will fol-
low the eight-hour workday which may pre-
ctpttate q strike. 1t came out yesterday that the
men known the company employees who work
IN the mines will insist on the eight-hour workday
as well the outside men, who are employed at
the breakers and doing other work near the mines
Even If Mitchell inclined to make COM
promise on this point the employees referred to
will insist on the eght-hour workday. The
pany employees. or day men. as they sometimes
called. put up the props and wood sheSthngs in
the mines. and do similar mechanical work. and
labor nine hours day. The other inside men arc
supposed to work nine hours day. but actually
work In most cases only eight hours.
Various rumors came to the Ashland House
yesterday about the intentions of the operators
Most of them were rumors that have gone from
New-York TO Scranton and Wilkes Barre and were
teephoned 10 the miners at the Ashland House
One rumor was that President Baer OF the Jersey
Central Railroad in favor OF making conces-
sions, ana OF meeting the miners half way. This
ruInor was considered wildly improbable that
The miners did not give IT any serious considera-
ton.
Mitchell would not talk. He kept to his room
al Day ana In response inquiries said there was
nothing 10 be given The miners. II was as
serted last night believe that the operators may
propose some technical changes In the method or
arbltratlng grievances which will not remedy tha
nLesed evils complained of. Nothing could he
ISe,theu as 10 when the miners committee will Ia
hoie 10 INFORM the operators that they are ready
10 meet them NS