The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-03
COAL MINERS WANT
 CONTRACT CHANGED
Wording of Clause to IntrO- duce Union Representa-
 tive Is Point at Issue

The point at issue between the miners nestle coal and the operators hinges on injection of the union in the third stage on arbitration of disputes at the mines.
 The operators insist that no outsider shall be admitted into the arbitration process prior to it's reaching the umpire, who finally determines the issue if it gets that far.
 The strikers demand "a representative of the miners who could and would be representative of the union. The para graph in the agreement submitted by the operators reads:
 sixth It is agreed that if any diff ference arises between an 'employe and attempt shall be made to adjust same with the boss by the person or persons affected. If no adjustment is reached the question shall be referred to the mine foreman and mine committee. If they fail to agree it shall be taken up with the mine superintendent by the mine committed. Failing of adjustment, the mine committee shall take up the question at issue with the general man ager of the company, and if they fail to make satisfactory adjustment the mine committee and the general manager of the company shall name a third, who shall act as arbitrator and whose decl- sion shall be rendered in five days and shall be final and binding on both parties
 STRIK ERS' PROPOSAL The strikers insist that the paragraph affecting arbitration read this way:
 .Fourth: 1t is agreed that if any diff ference arises between an employe and employer in or about the mines an at tempt shall be made to adjust the same with the boss by the person or persons affected. If no agreement is reached the question shall be referred to the mine foreman and mine committe. If they fail to agree it shall be taken up with the mine superintendent by the mine committee. Failing of, adjustment, it shall be referred to the general man ager of the company and representa- tive of the miners. If they fall to make a satisfactory adjustment these two rep resentatives shall name third, whose decision shall be rendered within five days and shall be final
 The difference hinges around the ar bitration when 1t reaches the general manager. Here the operator insists that the mine committee continue on duty and the strikers demand the injection of Representative of the miners" who could and would be a representative ot the union and thus the union would be admitted into the internal affairs of the mine.
 THAT ONE POINT
 There is no dispute as to personnel or the umpire to be chosen as final arbi- ter in case of inability of agreement be- tween the operators and their employ CTS. Operators enter no specifications on that point The umpire might be union organizer. the head of the mine union, anyone agreed on by the employ CTS and the operator.
 The union wishes to get into the game in the dcker with the general manager and the choice of the umpire. This is the point of difference. 1t is practical ly the only one. There is no complaint as to living conditions or wages.
 The mine union claims to have made contracts with twenty-nine coal opera tors and declares that ten to dozen of these contracts fully recognize the union even to the extent of collecting the union dues of the miners
 The other contracts do not constitute full recognition.
 Asked if the union was going to see that all these contracts were lived up to. the partial as well as the full union contracts. J. l.. Clemo, secretary of the nine union. said:
 Every one of the contracts which have been entered into and which have received the indorsement of the union headquarters win be kept and lived up to We will not countenance the abroga- tion of any contract that has once re- ceived our indorsement"