River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-05-10
OWNERS INSIST ON
A LONG AGREEMENT
OPERATORS WANT EXTENSION
OF ANTHRACITE AWARD FOR
AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
HARD COAL MINERS
FAVOR SHORTER TERM
Committees Representing Coal Work
ers and Employers Meet in New
York to Effect a Settlement Of
Minor Details.

New York, May S.-What was eX-
pected to be the final meeting between
the committees representing the
anthracite mine workers and mine
owners of Pennsylvania began in the
Office of the Trunk Line association in
this city shortly after two o'clock
Monday afternoon for the purpose of
effecting an agreement as to the term
of years and other minor details for
the continuation of the award of the
anthracite strike commission.
At noon it was positively stated
that although the miners would first
ask for shorter agreement they.
would accept three years if the oper-
ators insisted upon that number of
years. Members of the mine owners
committee, who were seen prior to the
meeting, said that under no circum-
stances would they agree to term of
years that would expire before April,
1909. They said there would be no
trouble over agreeing on details re-
garding the taking back of all men
and putting them in their old places.
After the meeting it was said unoffi-
cially that an understanding had been
arrived at for the extension of the
strike commission awards for another
three years, and that the companies
had agreed to replace in their former
positions all men except those who
have committed acts of violence.
The miners convention last Satur-
day conditionally accepted the origi-
nal proposition of the operators to
continue the award Of the commits
sion and instructed its scale commit
tee to communicate with the operators
and try to agree on the number of
years the award is to stay in effect
and also to have the operators agree
not to discriminate against certain of
the workers.
Agreement Is Expected.
That an agreement will be reached
is not doubted, although there is ex-
pected to be some debate before they
agree on all the details. The miners
prefer one or two years agreement
beginning April 1, but the operators
are expected to ask the men to ac-
cept the award for three years. The
mine owners all through the negotia-
on three-year compact in order to
avoid an annual disturbance in the in
dustry. The miners, however, feel
that a three-year agreement would be
unjust to them because of the fire.
quent changes in the working condi-
lions in the mines. They argue that.
the commissions award does not now
meet some of the new conditions in
the mining industry and that an
agreement of more than a year or two
would make matters very unfair to
them. Aside from that the leaders of
the union feel that a three-year agree
ment would not help the organization
much. They have found that after
the award of the strike commission
three years ago thousands of men
stopped paying dues into the union
On the ground that they had no i'm
mediate need of the services of the
organization and for this reason the
leaders prefer short agreement
The falling off in membership follow
was so great that President Mitchell
and q staff of organizers spent months
in the hard coal fields last year bring
ing back old members and otherwise
building up the organization.
An effort will also be made to have
the operators agree not to discrim
mate against any man who has been
aggressive in the strike movement.
While this appeared to be minor de-
tail it, is extremely important to the
miners. Not only do all wish to De
taken back, but they will insist that
they be given the same working places
they had when mining was suspend
ed. 1t is fully expected by the min
ers' leaders, however, that the oper-
ators will agree to this and instruct
their mining superintendent to var
ry out the agreement as far as posi-
BILE. In placing 100000 men it is ex-
pected there will be some friction, but
it is not believed will result in any
thing serious.