Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-03-12
MINERS PRESENT
THEIR DEM ANDS
SHORTER HOURS AND INCREASE IN
PAY ASKED BY UNITED WORK
ERS OF AMERICA.
ASK ONE YEARS CONTRACT.
Both Sides Enter Upon Negotiations
with Bright Prospects of Reach
ing a Settlement
ASK ONE YEARS CONTRACT.
LEWIS MEETS THE OPERATORS.

PHILADELPHIA. Pa. March IL
With Il keen desire to reach an early
decision and thus avoid suspension Of
WORK, the representatives of the United
Mine Workers OF America and the pres
idents of the coal carrying RAILWAYS met
today in the Reading terminal buiIdinr
here and began negotiations for a new
agreement to go into effect nj the cXniro-
tlon of the present working ARRANGEMENT
on March 81.
1t Is safe to say that not since the.
present organization of miners became
active III the anthracite regions Of Penn
Sylyania have the Workmen and the EN-
ployerS entered upon negotiations With
Il better feeling and understandings and
with better prospects of reaching a set
tlement without resOrting TO radical nc
ton.
Thomas J.. Lewis, national president
of the Miners union. who meets the
bard coal operators in formal conference
tor the first time. arrived here from the
west early today and before going to the
Reading terminal held final meeting
with the officers and executive board
members of the three anthracite dis
trictS:
Demands of Miners.
The demands of the anthracite miners
as drafted at 4 convention in Scranton
itSl oNttbtI anu approved hN the
tional convention at Indianapolis in Jan
uary are as follows:
First: That an agreement shall b, .,s
tiated between the representatives OF 1,
miners and tine operators of the authra-
cite region and nj! disputes arising under
the contract shall he adjusted as provided
for in the said agreement.
Second: We demand the complete recog-
milton of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
ice as Il party to negotiations in wage con
trast and United Mine Workers of America
shall be recognized in our right to provide
any method we may adopt for the collection
of revenue for the organization.
Third: That demand an eight hour
day with no reduction in wages.
Fourth: That all coal shall be mined
and paid for by the ton of 1000 pounds.
Fifth: That we demand i definite ana
for all classes OF labor at all collicrIcs in
the anthracite region, and that all en-
ploycS paid $3.50 or less per day shall re-
ceive 10 per cent. advance aud MI employees
day shall receive Il per cent advance.
Sixth: That the system whereby con
tract miner has more than one job or en-
plOys more than two lab0rers be abolished
Seventh: That the employers be required
to issue uniform pay statements dcsignat-
ing the name of the company, the name of
the employe, the colliery where cmployeds
the amount Of wages and the class OF work
performed.
Eighth: That the contract shall be made
for period of one year.
Was Opposed at First
When the above demands became
known to the operators several months
ago they made public statement
through their New York agents that the
demands would not be granted and
strongly intimated that they would ask
that the present three-years' agreement
be renewed. The present agreement is
the same as the working arrangement
made by the anthracite coal strike com
mission in 1908.