The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-19
JOINT COMMITTEE WAS NOT COMPLETE Operators Committee Could Not Be Gotten Together SCALE COMMITTEE REPORT I Practically the Same Scale as Was In Use Last Year-Will Probably
 Be Accepted By the
 Operators.

District No. 20. United Mine Workers of America, and several mine operators of the Birmingham district held a joint conference in Gelders' hall yesterday morning at Il o'clock for the purpose of taking up the question of the contract scale for another year. The operators present were T. G. Bush of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron company. T. H. Aldrich of the AldrIch Mining com pany D. M. Drennen and w. M. Dren- nen of the Palos Coal and Coke com pany and J. B. Darlington of the Socum mines.
 When the meeting was called to order, President Ed Flynn of the miners con yention stated the purpose of the meet ing, and then announced that he had received a communication from B. r. Roden. chairman of the commercial oper- ators committee, that he would be unable to get his committee together before Wed nesday. He stated. however, that nas- much as there were a number of the operators present it might be well to have the report of the scale committee and give them an opportunity to express themselves on the subject of the new scale. This suggestion was accepted and the report was called for The report was as follows.
 Birmingham, Ala, June 15, 1906
 We, your scale committee of the ninth annual convention, beg leave to submit the following report for your consider ation:
 1. We recommend that we renew the present years contract for anpther year with the following additions:
 2, That If any man men are unjuStly suspended or discharged that he be paid the scale for time of this enforced idle ness by parties in fault.
 Respectfully submitted:
 J. R. Kennamer, chairman. B. Black, G. w. Ellis. A. P. Lawley, E. C. Hous- ton, T. w. Bowers, R. s. Jackson. Jake Barrett, D. Griffith, B. w. Robinson, J. M. Heron. Thomas English, secretary.
 The contract that was in effect last year provided that the maximum price per ton of coal dug should be STE cents when the price of iron was II 50; mini mum price, 471s cents when the price of iron was $S per ton.
 The chairman of the scale committee also read the following letter;
 Letter From Flynn.
 Birmingham, June 13 1906. To Scale Committed:
 A complaint that has become general from the operators and miners.
 Complaint from many of the operators and in many instances the miners also, who are now at work under contracts entered into between the operators and the United Mine Workers of America, have been entered at this office during past year.
 By reason of the mines in the various parts of the district being closed on account of funerals of members, or their relatives and in most cases only few of the men laid Idle that account attend the burial ceremonies.
 I would therefore recommend that the following clause be inserted in the con tract:
 In the event of an instantaneous death by accident In the mine, the miners and underground employees shall have the privilege of discontinung work for the remainder of the day and remain idle until after the funeral, provided the de- ceased Is buried within five miles of the camp
 Except in cases of fatal accidents as above, the mine shall in no case be laid Idle on account of death or funeral But in case of the death of an employe or member of his family, any individual m- ner may at his option absent himself