The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-12

made up of four representatives from
| eaehsof these districts. two members from
| each district to be chosen by the miners
anw two by the operators. In event OF
the board failing to reach an agreement
upon any grievance, it was proposed that
the board then select an arbitrator to
whom the grievance would be submitted
for prompt decision
Other Demands by Miners.
The demands also provided that each
employe be given an itemized pay state-
ment at least one day before pay day.
that discharged employe have the right
to put his grievance in the same manner
as provided for in the case of other
grievances; that no person be refused
| employment or in any other way discrim-
| mated against because of membership in
any labor organization; that the COM
panies collect from each member such
amounts as might be levied by their or
ganization monthly, the amounts thus col
| lected to be turned over to an authorized
| committee at the colliery; that all en-
! ployes who are required to work safe
| ty lamp should receive 10 per cent extra
| in addition to the regular wages or
| prices: and that the violation of any pro-
visions of the agreement, either by the
| employees or employers should not in
! validate any of its provisions.
! President Mitchell acting for the miners
committee, in letter to the committee of
operators, outlined the reasons upon
which the demands of the miners were
| based as follows.
Mitchell Sets Forth Contentious.
1--WE favor a uniform scale of wages
| for men paid by the day, hour or week,
| because of the fact that men performing
precisely the same character and indeed
| the same amount of labor, cannot work
with any degree of contentment while the
compensation received by them is not uni
form. At present this condition exists IN
the anthracite field.
I'VE propose an increase of 10 per cent
4 in the rates paid to contract miners Tor
several reasons First, the general in
dustrial commercial and trade conditions
of the country justify an increase of
wages to all classes of labor. The pros
| perity of the coal carrying roads is un-
precedented as is demonstrated by the re-
| ported earnings and the enhanced value
of their stocks.
1--WE favor an eight-hour work day, be-
cause eight hours is the standard working
| day of coal mine workers in nearly all
| the bituminous districts of our country
as we'll as in many of the mining districts
| of Great Britain and the continent, and
| eight hours Is as long as man can work
| In coal mine without doing injury to
| his health, and consequent injury to So
ciety. We believe that the establishment
| of a maximum eight-hour working day
will not reduce production materially.
even If figured upon the basis of output
per man per working day.
I'VE favor the system of weighing and
paying for coal by weight wherever the
| conditions of the vein would make this
| system practicable, because the present
system whereby coal is paid for by the
car has given rise to much discomfort
owing TO varied sizes of cars now in use,
| to the constant friction which naturally
| arises when new cars are built and in
troduced, and to the seemingly unceasina
desire of the companies to have the men
| load more coal upon these cars without
| corresponding increase in compensation.
1--WE favor reconstruction of the board
| OF conciliation because of the delays that
| have occurred during the past three
wears in the adjustment of grievances;
| indeed there are some cases which have
| been in the hands of the board for two
wears without final decision having been
/ rendered and in very few cases have final
decisions been reached in less than three
months time
Mitchell Goes to indianapolis.
| President John Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers OF America left at noon
| TODAY for indianapolis, where he goes to
prepare for the convention of mine work.
1 ers.
Mr.. Mitchell declined absolutely to say
ANYTHING regarding the reply of the OPP
orators refusing the demands of the min
| ers. None Of the other members of the
| miners committee would talk.
] Prior to Mr.. Mitchelrs departure there