Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-04
ROCKEFELLER Plan
APPEARS PRACTICAL
ALL GRIEVANCES WOULD De
SETTLED BY AUTHORIZED
DELEGATES.
NO RECOGNITION or
MINERS FEDERATION
Disputes to Be Settled at Conferences
Between Company Officers and Rep.
rsssntatives Of Worksrs-Plan Pro-
posed to Be Submitted to Refsrsn.
dunn Vote.

/ and sealed with a term OF years, was
promised by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,
to the employees of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company The contract was
embodied IL the industrial plan sub
mitted by Mr. Rockefeller at meeting
of officers OF the company and griev-
ance representatives from the various
coal camps. The plan carries guar
antee against discriminating against
members Of any union, but does not
provide for recognition Of the United
Mine Workers of America.
The industrial system outlined at the
conference is looked upon as the an
swer to the demands Of the United
Mine Workers-demands which in 1913
/. led to one of the most bitter indust-
| rial conflicts in the history of tho
! country. Mr.. Rockefeller himself has
steadfastly maintained that his plan is
not an attack upon unionism, but that
| it is broader and more democratic
/ than the system advocated by the
miners organization.
Based Upon Mediation.
! The Rockefeller plan-formulated by
Mr.. Rockefeller and w. L. Mackenzie
King, in collaboration with operating
officials of the company-js based
upon mediation system already III
operation. The outline of the plan
submitted to the conference is divided
into four general sections:
| Misrepresentation of employees and
the manner Of their selection.
| 2-Dstrict conferences, joint COM
mites and joint meetings.
3-The prevention and adjustment
of industrial disputes.
| 4-Social and industrial betterment.
! The proposal also contains memo
/; randum Of agreement between the
company and it's employees.
| The miners at each camp are to
elect representatives on basis OF one
for every $50 wage earners. Each camp
| is entitled to at least two representa-
| tives.
! For mediation purposes the COM
pany's camps are divided into five
districts-the Trinidad district. the
/ Walsenbery district, the Canon dis
trict comprising all the mines in FIRE.
mont county. the western district,
comprising all the mines on the west
ern slope in Colorado and the Sunrise
! (Wyoming) district.
To Settle Disputes Locally.
! For the settlement of disputes and
the discussion of any problems in the
/ relations of the company with it's en-
i ployes, district conferences shall be
| held, attended by the grievance repre-
| sentatives from all the camps in the
district and company officers not ex-
ceding in number the representatives
I, uf the miners.
! The deiegat ties representing the
miners and the company eligible to sit
| in each district conference are to Sc
ilect from their number joint commit
] tees, composed of six members each
as follows:
Joint connmitte on industrial coop
Grafton and Cancellation.
4 Joint committee on safety and acct
dents.
Joint committee on sanitation, health
and housing
Joint committee on recreation and
education.
The plan makes elaborate provision
for the settlement Of Industrial dis
putes. After pledging the corporation
and its employees to observe federn.
ana state mining laws, the manifesto
states:
There shall be no discrimination by
| the company or by any of its en-
| ployes on account of membership or
non membership in any society, fra
| ternity or union.
Another clause says: "The right to
hire and discharge the management
of the properties and the direction of
the working forces, shall be vested eX-
clusively in the company and, as ex-
pressly restricted, this right shall not
be abriged by anything contained
therein" The plan provides, however,
that the company must post list OF
offenses for which dismissal may be
made without notice; for all other Of.
lenses employees shall not be dis
charged without notification that
repetition will cause dismissal. The
company reserves the privilege Of re-
ilevins employees from duty on ac-
count OF lack of work.
Not Restricted as to Purchases.
Employees are guaranteed the right
to hold meetings, to purchase supplies
where they please and to employ check
weighmen.
A miner or group Of miners with
grievance against the company shall
take the natter to the camps elected
representatives The representative
must first seek adjustment from the
foreman or superintendent. Failing to
receive satisfaction he then is at liber-
=. to anneal to the presidents indus
trial representative at present David
Griffiths, or to the higher officers Of
the company up to President j. F. We'll
born.
Another method Of settlement open
to the miners, after the initial appeal
TO the foreman or superintendent is
hearing before district joint commit
tee on Cancellation. If the COMMITTEES
fails to hear, it may select an umpire,
whose decision shall be binding on all
parties.
II the Joint committee falls to ad-
just dispute, 1t il provided that it shall
be settled by arbitration or by refer
ence to the Colorado state industrial
commission.
The company guarantees the grew
ance representatives Of tho men
against unjust discharge or discrimt-
nation and provides that . representa-
tive who thinks he has been the vic
tim OF discrimination may appeal to
the state Industrial commission.
Memorandum Of Agreement.
The contract or memorandum Of
agreement" appended to the statement
Is as follows. +. = -
It 10 mutually understood and agreed