Evening journal., 1919-09-24
MINERS ASK Wage
RAISE, 6-HOUR DAY
Strike Automatically Gale ]
November | if Agreement
With Operators Fails
FLAT % PER CENT
INCREASE DEMANDED

CLEVELAND. O.. sept 2i.-Demands
for co per cent increase in all mine
wages. limit Of six hours upon the
.a>'s labor underground. nye-day
N,eck with time and a half for over
ilme and double time for work on sun
dsVs and holidays. and important i'm
nroNcments in conditions Of labor were
Moplcd Yesterday by the convention of
ihe United Mine Workers OF America.
The convention lhep-adjOurned to await
the result of the joint wage-scale con-
florence with the operators OF the cen
iral competitive district, which opens
in Buffalo Thursday.
Should q satisfactory new agreement
be reached by the representatives OF
the miners and operators at This CON
ference the convention will be recon
Vened at indianapolis 60 accept or re-
ject It, Should no agreement be reach
ed I'M time tO be ratified and come into
effect by November I, general strike
of an biluminous coal miners i'm The
United States Will automatically ensue
on that date. which may extend To the
canadian coal fields if the International
eyeculive board and the representatives,
OF fie Canadian districts so determine.
Willie decided increase in wages Is
demanded 10 meet The heavy increase
in the cost of living. The miners dele
gates were no less interested in prOVid-
ing regular employment for an mem
bers Of the union throughout The year
voting not only TO restrict the number
OF working hoursc 10 20 per cent. but
also 10 prohibit the employment Of
double shifts I'm producing coal, with
This aim IN view.
Although the demands are sweeping
as compared with present conditions.
eniailing q reduction from The nine 10
nine and onc-half hours frequently
spent under ground under The present
agreement calling for eight hours "at
the facen 10 six hours under ground,
acting President Lewis stated today
that be confidently expected that an
agreement would be reached with the
Operators at Buffalo by negotiation.
"Ihat is he continued. unless the
operators see 10 10 disturb the entire
domestic equilibrium Of the country by
refusing 20 negotiate on The basis of
our program The miners have demon
siraicd their good faith and loyalty 90
The country in discharging all their re-
sponslbiliiies under the Washington
N0ge agreement, have endured the high
cost Of living uncomplainingly and noW
feel that The pubEc Will recognize The
necessity OF granting proper consldera-
ton and equal justice TO men engaged
so the most basic industry on which
the country is so dependent"
The report OF the scale committee,
embodying the proposed demands. was
presented TO the convention by Frank
Harrington, OF Illinois. chairman OF tho
committee. II includes the anticipated
demands for a nat GO per cent. increase
in wages applicable 10 all classifca-
lions OF day labor and TO all tonnage.
sardagc and deadw0rk rates through
out the central competitive district N
inois, Ohio. Indiana and western Penn
hylNania)
No agreement reached in the Joint
wage scale conference at Buffalo shall
bc concluded until after il has been
submitted FOR ratification to the con
seniion. which is 10 be reconyened for
this purpose in Indianapolis. The re-
convened convention shall also define
The policy for the outlying districts.
for which the central cOmpetative