New-York tribune., 1909-03-12
OPERATORS 1ASK RENEWAL
OF OLD AGREEMENT.
Miners Disappointed, but Still Hope
for Settlement WithOut
Radical ActiOn.

the demands they laid before them At the
same time they proposed to the nina workers
that the present agreement. which expires on
March 81 be renewed for another term OF three
years. This decision. while not unexpected
came as a great disappointment to the men
when they informed officially OF the stano
taken by the companies.
When the afternoon session Of the conferences
adjourned. shortly after 8 O'Clock this evening.
Thomas Lewis, national president Of the United
Mine Workers and his colleagues filed out OF
President Baers Office and went to their hotel
with spirit that was not buoyant as that
with which they entered the conference room
Mr.. Lewis declined to comment on the develop
ments OF the day beyond stating that he and
mis- committeeman will meet TO discuss the situa-
tion. The miners will meet the operators again
at o'clock tomorrow afternoon
FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT
The formal announcement Of the refusal ot
the operators TO grant the demands OF the men
was contained in a statement agreed upon by
| both sides. 1t is as follows:
A committee Of seven representatives CT an
| thracte mine workers and a committee Of seven
| representatives of the anthracite operators held
| joint meeting in the Reading Terminal Build
| ing this afternoon TO discuss the mine workers
demands. These demands the that
| were drafted in Scranton last October.
| The operators declined to accede to the de-
| chief
| t1on was that any Increase IN the cost OF pro-
| duction would necessitate advance in the
| price OF coal, and that such advance was i'm
| practicable. The operators said that wages IN
/ the anthracite mining industry were already az
| a high level. and could not be increased
| The announcement Of the operators position
| was followed by free discussion Of the various
| demands. each side stating it's views fully in
| regard thereto The operators declared their
/ question and other questions passed upon by
| the anthracite strike commission Of 1902 They
| also declared themselves opposed TO the mine
| workers proposition for a one-year agreement
| They declined to recognize the United Mine
| Workers of America. chiefly on the ground that
| il was controlled by bitunlinOus workers They
| said they met Mr.. Lewis and his committee =
| representatives of the anthracite mine workers
| and not as officers of the union The operators
| called upon the report Of the strike commission
| TO support their refusal to deal with the United
| Mine Workers.
made the definite proposition TO renew the pres
ent agreement for a term OF three years
The present agreement. made in New York
three years ago. when John Mitchell Jed the
miners in the negotiations. Is identical with
the award Of the strike commission. made in
| 1908 after the strike OF 1902 Three years ago
| the miners made numerous demands. but all
| were rejected. and they accepted the renewal
| Of the strike commission award. which is the
same proposition again made by the operators
| to-day.
THE PRESENT AGREEMENT
The demands placed before the commission by
the mine workers in 1903 were four in number:
| % An advance Of 20 per cent upon the prices
raid in 1901 to employees performing contract OF
piece work.
| (2) a reduction Of % per cent in hours OF
! labor without any reduction in wages. for all
| employees working by the hour. day week:
that is. an eight-hour day instead Of ten-hour
| Gs) The payment OF contract miners by
weight
a. An agreement between the companies and
the United Mine Workers of America
The award on the first demand was that the
| contract miners should have a 10 per cent In
crease over and above the rates paid IN April,
| 1902
The award on the second demand was that
the employees working by the hour. day week
should have a reduction Of 10 per cent in hours
Of labor without reduction of wages: that IS.
| a nine-hour day. For certain special classes OF
employees a special award was made. but the
nine-hour decision applied to the great body Of
mine workers paid by time
The third demand, for payment by weight.
| was not granted
| In acting on the fourth demand the cOn1nnts-
| sion declined 10 order an agreement between the
| operators and the United Mine Workers cf
| America The commission created a board OF
conciliation consisting Of three representatives
| Of the miners and three representatives OF the
| operators. to continue as long as the comnis-
| sion's award and TO settle all grievances pre-
| sented by either side 1t was provided that any
case that could not be decided by the cOncilia-
ton board should be referred TO umpire ap-
| pointed by a United States Circuit Judge
| The commission made several other rulings
not In direct reply 10 the demands of the mine
| workers 1t was provided that the miners at
any collierv when they should desire. might
employ check weighmsn or check docking
boss 10 make sure that their coal weighed
or measured properly.
one OF the most important DEGREES OF the
commission was that establishing the sliding
scale This provided that the mine workers
should receive part Of the benefit from advances
! in the price OF coal above a certain point The
minimum wage rate was fixed, so that fall IN
the price of coal would have no effect upon
earnings. Under the sliding scale the earnings
of all classes Of mine workers increase 1 per
cent for each increase Of cents above "a so In
The nrice of domestic sizes OF anthracite at tide
water.
DEMANDS OF THE MINERS.
~. demands Of the mine workers. drafted IN
coraDtor last October and ratified by the na-
t,onal convention in Indianapolis IN January
are as follows:
uirs+-That an agreement shall be negotiated
| ,a+1Fae, the representatives OF the miners ana
the Cnerators OF the anthracite region ana al
disnutes arising under the contract shai Oe
| o5I,,Sted as provided for in the said agreement
| Sacond-We demand the complete recognition
| of the United Mine Workers OF America a.
. | marty TO negotiations 10 wage contract SIS ~
that the United Mine Workers OK america So, si.a
30 racosnized in our right 10 provide any method
we NAV adopt for the collection OF revenue IO'
the organization . - .i-,,, t,,,,- ,7a,r