The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-07-16
OPERATORS DEFEND OPEN
SHOP RIGHTS
Declare Anthracite Workers Are
Making More Than Btu
minous Men
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch. ]


Scranton, Pa, July 8.-Adherence
to the fundamental principles of col
lective bargaining as laid down by
President Roosevelt's anthracite
strike commission of 1902, and reaf-
iirmation Of every mans right to
work, without reference to member
ship or no membership in labor or
ganization, were issued upon here to-
DAY by the anthracite operators be-
fore the anthracite coal commission
appointed by President Wilson arbi-
trate the differences between the op-
orator and the mine workers.
Unalterable opposition to the prin-
cipie Of the closed shop and its pro-
tposed accompaniment, the check off,
was also placed in the record, and
hgures were presented to show that,
annual earnings of anthracite mine
workers have more than kept pace
with the increase in the cost Of Hv-
ing.
Formal Reply Made.
These points were contained in the
first formal reply presented to the
commission in answer to the eighteen
demands Of the mine workers for re-
adjustment OF wages and working
conditions. Each demand was anal
lied in the reply, and the position of
the operators stated, but the mine
workers having previously notified the
commission that four of the eighteen
demands were of major importance,
stress was laid on the answers to
these four
To the demand that the present
wages Of the anthracite mine work
fnnrnQooh 20 M
increases granted the bituminous mine
workers by the presidential coal com
mission, the operators set forth that
the bituminous and anthracite indus
tries are not comparable" since an
thracite mining also involves a manu-
featuring process of cleaning and
siezing coal in breakers with the re-
suit that only about one third of the
anthracite employees are engaged IN
cutting and loading coal, against
about two thirds in the bituminous
industry.
Employment Is Steady.
s'Since the anthracite industry is
on virtually q full time basis, employ
ment Is steady, compared with about
zoo days work a year in.the bitumin
Gus mines" The statement said.
IS Anthracite workers, under present
annum than the bituminous workers
with the increase granted by the
presidents commission"
With regard to the extension OF the
eight hour day to watchmen, pump
men, fan engineers, stablemen, pow
erhouse engineers. and some hosting
engineers, the operators pointed out
that these duties are not arduous, but
hat, at tn suggestion of the score
tary Of labor, they had agreed to put
pumpmen and inside and outside
hosting engineers, on an eight hour
system. which was to be worked out
mand for. time and half for overtime
and double time for Sundays and hol-
idays is fatty opposed.
Oppose Standard Wage.
With regard to standardization of
wages, so that occupations of like
character at the various colleries
shall command the same wage, the
operators pointed out that conditions
vary in different Golfers and In diff
ferent places at the same colliery.
On the question Of closed shop
union and the establishment of the
check off the statement CONTINUES,
''the position of operators is unmis-
taxable"
They declared that the principles
and practices established by the
award of the anthracite strike COM
mission have been applied practically
for nearly twenty years, that this
award distinctly established the prin-
ciple Of the open shop and forebade
discrimination between union and
nonunion men; that the establish
nent of a closed shop is "repugnate
to the American principle of the free
dom of choice" that the principle Of
the open shop has been Endorsed by
courts both state and federal, and
that the demand for an extension of
the check off whereby union dues are
withheld from q miners pay by the
employer, was denied by the bitumin-
GUS commission. Collective bargain
ing and periodical trade agreements
are accepted by the operators. Such
contracts they hold, can be enforced
only by willing CO. operation and that
the closed shop cannot compel CO.
operation by an individual not desir-
ne it.
The operators agreed to a two year
contract, but object to abOlishing in
dividual agreements and contracts in
but object to abolishing individual
agreements and contracts in coal
coal mining, whereby one man, who
may empty others, takes over the
working Of a section of a vein or
ma rficular ODeninR