New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-31
f)uerators and Workers Get
TOGETHER as a Prelude to
Suspension Involving
100000 Men.
SHORT TIE-UP LOOKED FOR
Anthracite Element Arranges
Conference with Employers
April 10 - Bituminous
Union to Vote on
Agreement.

Cleveland. March SO.-While 4OOWD
anthracite and bituminous miners pre-
nared TO quit work tomorrow at mid
night. when their present wage agree
nents expire, the operators and union
officials took steps to-day to make as
brief as possible the stoppage of coal
production.
The 10000 anthracite miners in Penn
svlvania will stop for an indefinite pc
rjod. but as a result Of kilograms ex-
changed between George f Baer and
the union officials. arrangements were
completed to-day for a reopening of ne
rotations to settle their wage dispute
The conference Of operators and miners
will be held in the Reading Terminal in
Philadelphia, at noon on April 10 y
months suspension in the anthracite
mines was thought probable.
The unions policy committee tonight
issued a statement that it formally had
ratified the bituminous wage agreement
The statement says:
In addition, the joint interstate move
nent has been rehabiiitated and the re-
lstions OF operators and miners again re-
stored TO . reciprocal basis. Arrange
r1ents will be made to have the referen-
dun vote taken imm sdiately. There is
little doubt that the miners will vote
Overwhelmingly in favor Of the new
agreement.
An automatic suspension OF work in
the anthracite mines will take effect or
Monday. An indefinite suspension which
may develop into strike ought to be
avoided
The outcome Of the negotiations here
removes any excuse the anthracite oper-
stors may have had heretofore in refus
ina the miners demands. The anthracite
miners are really more entitled to ad
vance in wages and improved conditions
Of employment than the btun1inous men.
We are convinced that the anthracite
operators can pay an advance, and are
determined that no contract will be
agreed to in the anthracite fields unless
such is done.
The 1750C0 anthracite miners have
suspended work in obedience to the sus-
pension order, and will remain idle until
an agreement is reached. We hope a
settlement may be reached at the con-
ference On April 10 and thus avert a
strike.
The bituminOus miners. after an eleven
days conference with the operators here,
secured an agreement which will give -
them a slight increase i'm pay. As their
agreement. however. must still be rati-
fed by the unions policy committee and
then by d referendum vote Of the union
n suspension in the bituminous mines
will begin pending the result Of the final
vote Reports to the heads Of the
United Mine Workers Of America indi-
Gated the bituminOus wage agreement
would he accepted generally.
II was stated that the suspension in
all the mines involved would cause u
loss in coal production to the country of
a 100000 tons a month, and that the
men would lose in pay $l,oOo,000 every
day they remain out. The advance in
pay to the bituminous miners secured
by their new contract will amount TO
more than $15,OOOO0 a year. The BIZ
luminous conference adjourned without
date after the new scale was signed.
The scale gives 10 the men an increase
Of FIVE cents a ton for the mining Of
lump coal and a propordonate increase
for all other kinds Of labor.
How long the men are to remain out
and under what conditions the referen-
dun vote is TO be taken are details left
70 be decided by the unions policy com
mittee The demand of the men for Il
nvs-hour day on Saturdays was rejected
and the settlement of local difficulties
was referred to the local unions.
The wage agreement in the central
competitive field, which was fixed to-
day, IS the basis upon which agreements
are fixed for the other states. The con-
tracts Of the Southwestern field provide
that the men shall give sixty days no
iice before suspending.
The non-union miners not involved. in
Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia, Cen.
tral Pennsylvania and Tennessee, are
said 10 number 100000 In Kentucky
about one-fourth OF the miners are
unionized. In West Virginia 5000 union
members make contracts for 10000
workers and 10000 are not unionized.
The union contracts in Wyoming, Mon
tana, Washington and Colorado do not
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