The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-05-05
WAGE: INCREASE IS SECURED -.
BY FRIENDLY NEGOTIATIONS
United Mine Workers Of Am erica vindcate Principle Of
lnviolate Contract OPP osition to Bonus System
Accepted by Operators.

voice and action, acknowledged rights
far greater than anything that might
be 'given" them in the way of "char-
ity" or 'bonuses' or rewards"
Commenting on the recognition of
this principle ~ the mine owners as
we'll as the mine workers, and COM
menting further on the good spirit
| of cooperation shown by these oper-
ators in the central competitive field,
President White declared:
Comments of President.
"This is in marked contrast to the
turmoil and confusion that swept
oyer the English coal industry and
threatened to paralyZe Eneland's in
dustrlal activities soon after the
great war began. American coal
operators have accepted as valid our
opposition to the payment Of bonuses,
always source of CONTROVERSY and
discord. and have met our demand
for a flat increase, 80 that the miner
| will know definitely what his earnings
are to be.
Miners will always object to a
bonus method of payment because it
is caprlclous and uncertain and offers
as a gratuity what the miner claims
as right, and for the further reason
that bonuses are never guaranteed bv
binding agreements and may be with
drawn at any time.
THE precedent established at this
conference. should be Endorsed and
followed in the othter coal mining
districts Of the country. The situa-
ton is everywhere similar to that ex-
listing in the central competitive
field. Everywhere there have been
unforeseen and unprecedented adj
vances in the cost of every article of
necessity. Now. before the full pres
sure of war requirements is upon u.s.
is the time for getting together and
agreeing on such a readJustment as
Will put the etire coal industry of the
nation on a sound and healthy basis"
Another Conference.
A similar conference to follow at
once has been arranged between the
Mine Workers and the operators in
the anthracite field. Figures taken
from such accurate journals as the
New York Journal of Commerce and
others will be produced to show that
all staple articles of food, all clothing
and such commodities as shoes and
drugs have gone up in price more
than enough to- warrant the state
ment of Present White. The second
conference will be placed on the same
high plane as that of the one just
successfully concluded.
1.-THE conference is really a measure
of national defense" Mr.. White said
then. we wislr-to put our. house in
order so that theesnation will have no
occasion to complain that it's coal
producers are not performing salts
factorily the tremendously important
task assigned to. them. The miners
are anxious to do their bit. They
will mine all the coal that is needed
for our ships and factories, and do
it ungrudgingly. They will not take
advantage of the nations necessi-
ties. But they want to do their bit
on full stomachs. The United Mine
Workers never repudiate a contract,
and we are making no threats at this
time. We are merely asking the
operators to meet with us in man to
man fashion and reach solution of
the critical problem that has arisen
in the industry