The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-05-10
NINE OPERATORS
WILL NOT INSIST
On a Cut In Wages In
Agreement.
A PROPOSITION IS SUBMITTED
Will Be Laid Before Convention
In Central City On
May II.
MODIFIED CONDITIONS NAMED

Negotiations between the commit
tees representing the miners and op-
orators of the Western Kentucky
field were broken off Friday wher
the operators submitted final prop
osition agreeing to last years wage
scale under certain changed work
ing conditions favorable to the OPP
orators and not unfavorable, accord
ing to the latter, to the miners.
The subcommittee representing
the miners. composed of Richard
Baker, w. o. Smith and J. T. Main,
stating that the committee was I'M
| able to accept the terms under its
present authority, received the prop
osition and agreed to lay it before
convention of District No. 23, Unit
ed Mine Workers of America. to be
called in Central City. Both sides
agreed upon May IL as the time linn
it for the filing of reply
F. p. Wright, chairman of the
joint Scale Committee which has
been striving to agree on the 1916
scale since March, in announcing
the terms of the proposition, stated
that the miners practically were
willing to accept last years scale,
but were holding back on proposed
changes in the rules governing
working conditions. One of these
mine "rooms" to be operated by two
miners, from four to three. Accord
ing to Mr. Wright a saving OF % per
cent. in the amount of material nee
essary to operate such rooms" will
result to the operators, while the
earning power of the miners will
not be decreased. The other changes
proposed are declared not to be as
important, although the miners or
ganization will have to act upon
them.
Operators Proposition.
The proposition submitted by the
operators follows:
1--WE, the Scale Committee. repre-
senting the Western Kentucky Coal |
Operators Association, submit the |
following as our final proposition:
Last years wage scale and work
ing conditions in their entirety, with
the following changes:
"All men shall work double when
loading after machines, and shall be
allowed three rooms.
Such provisions in the contract
as will enable the operators to en-
force a rule regulating the loading
of impurities.
Companies using chain machines
shall pay at their option by the day
or such price per ton for dead work
as may be agreed upon locally in
proportion to character of work re-
CURED by the operator.
"Chain breast machine runners
when working by the day shall be
paid 81 40 cents per hour and
their helpers thirty cents per hour.
When working by the square foot
they shall be paid 74-1OO cents per
square foot to the cutter and 65-lOO
cents per square foot to the helper.
When working by the ton they shall
be paid 6.S7 cents per ton of screen
ed coal to the cutter and 6.13 cents
per ton of screened coal to the help
err, or 4.27 cents per ton of mine run
coal to the cutter and 3.79 cents per
ton of mine run coal to the helper.
Where the long or short wall
cutting machines are
used. the runners, when working by
the day, shall be paid "a 7-10 cents
per hour and their helpers thirty
cents per hour. When working by
the square foot they shall be paid
! .O4 cents per square foot When
working by the ton, they shall be (
paid six cents per ton OF mine run
coal or 9.75 cents per ton of screen {
ed coal. wages to be divided between
runner. and helper.
1T is distinctly understood and |
agreed that the right Of the opera
tor to change from one method OF 4
payment to another shall not at any
limo be questioned.
"F. p. WRIGHT. Chairman"
The paragraph describing contin-
acus cutting machines refers to /