La Junta tribune., 1913-11-08
COLORADO COAL STRIKE
Mtnerx' Side Of the Story and What
They Want-Demands Based ON
Colorado Laws.

papers as TO the miners side OF the
story, and 1t is nothing more than
fair and right that they should have
their day In the court OF publicity.
1t is probably true that both sides
are at fault. and II this is true the
only right way to settle the matter is
through legally established court
OF arbitration. which should have
power to enforce its decisions.
The people of Colorado should not
= made TO suffer because the mine
owners and their employees fail to
agree as TO the terms and conditions
OF their employment, and II Is the
duty OF the state to protect the peO-
pie at large. The miners have the
right TO demand recognition OF their
union, and the coal companies like
wise have the right To refuse to re-
cognize the union II they so desire,
but the people also have some rights
in the matter and should not be
made to suffer because the coal oper-
ators and their employees cannot ar
rive at satisfactory adjustment OF
the questions In dispute. Any man
who wants to work in the mines. or
anywhere else. should be given full
protection by the state. and not be
tinterfered with, so long as he re-
mains a lawabiding citizen.
/ Colorado should have state
board OF arbitration. modelled after
the Canadian law. which has prac-
tically eliminated strikes and labor
disputes in that country. Under the
law in Canada employees are requir-
ed to give thirty days notice to the
legally established board OF arbitra-
ton Of their intention to strike. and
1 in case OF a lockout by employers
they are also required To give thirty
days notice The questions at issue
are then submitted TO an arbitration
board OF three members-the strik-
ers selecting one representative. the
employers one. and the arbitration
board the third member. The deci-
sion OF this delegated arbitration
board OF the questions in dispute IL
binding upon all parties. As a result
there are no strikes In Canada. Why
not such a legally established board
OF arbitration In Colorado7
From a recent circular issued by
the Colorado State Federation OF La
bor the miners side OF the Colorado
coal strike is given thusly:
The United Mine Workers Organ
ization has 4 membership OF 49,
3l3. l?5.000 having Joined during
the past year The organization has
done more for the protection Of life
and health Of the miners than any
other agency. Three men are killed
In the non-union mines to one in the
union mines.
The union stands for the enact
ment Of laws for the preservation
Of the health and lives OF the work
ers: for higher wages, shorter hours.
sanitary mining towns. political
freedom. better schools and the en-
forcement. Of all laws, especially
those pertaining to the education Of
children.
The union is now esta abiished In all
the coal producing states. with the
exception OF District Is. which in
cludes Colorado. Utah and New Mex.
leo. and has increased the wages of
the miner 100 per cent: established
an eight hour work day: improved
working conditions and enforced
laws that have greatly reduced tn.
death rate In mines. II has spent
100000 In defense OF the min
ers' rights. paid hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars ~ death benefits IN
caring for the widows and orphan
OF miners who were victims OF min"
explosions In non-union mines II
has made II possible for the miner
and their families To live happily aud
contcnted.
The Colorado miners are demand
Ink that which has been granted To
their fellow workers In other states.
Practically every demand is based up.
ON the laws Of Colorado. Tho follow
Ing are the demands made by the
miners In the Trinidad convention;
We. IN. representatives OF the
Min" Workers OF District IL. after
repeated efforts To secure confer
encc with the operators for the pur.
pos. OF establishing joint relations
and fair wage agreement. aud hay-
Ing been denied such conference. and
believing M We do that We hay.
grievances Of great moment that de-
mAnd Immediate adjudication. We
submit the following ~ n basis OF