The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-03-11
HARD COAL MEN
WANT MORE PAY
Demand 60 Per Cent In
crease for Contract and
So for Day Men.
WANT 30 HOUR WEEK

miners, 9G,OU Gay ralSe 1oI uay
men, and six hour day and five-day
week for men paid by the day or
month, will be represented to the an
thracitic coal operators in Ney Ys@e,i,
March 9 by the union representatives
mandso fthe hard coal diggers. These
demands were formulated at con-
vention Of the anthracite miners in
Wilkes Barre, last August and ratified
by the national convention Of the
United Mine Workers of America in
Cleveland in September.
The conference of operators and
mine workers next month will endeaV-
or to negatiate a new agreement to
take place of the contract now in
force.
The present general wage agreement
covering the anthracite industry was
entered into in May, 1915, for four
years ending March 81 this year. Be-
cause of war conditions, wages have
mental agreements, between the min
ers and operators.
10000 Mine Workers Affected
About 10000 mine workers will be
affected by the new contract to be
negotiated Ehe miners scale COM
mittee which will meet the operators
will be composed of the officers and
executive board members of the three
districts comprising the anthracite
fields, the three international board
members in the hard coal regions and
three mine workers from each district.
No announcements has been made as
to the number of men who will repre-
sent the coal mine owners. 1t is ex-
pected, however, that after the de-
views are exchanged between the two
sides, a small subcommittee will be
named to carry on the actual negoti-
atoms.
When, in final form the agreement
will bbe presented to the full COM
pittee for adoption. In case of the
miners Observation-Disclosures
miners, the agreement will have to go
back to a convention of the mine
workers for ratification.
Whether the mine workers will re-
main at work, if an agreement is not
reached by March 81, will depend
largely, it is said, on row strenuously
the operators oppose the demands,
No opinion has thus far been given by
either side as to the outcome of the
negotiations. The opinion was express
ed, however, that the negotiations pro-
baby would not be taken up seriously
until the bitumnous wage scale has
been agreed upon.
The demands Of the mine workers
are as follows:
"That the next contract be for a
period of not exceeding two years
and that the making individual agree
ments and contracts in the mining of
coal shall be prosecuted.
"The contract wage scales be in
creased GO percent, and that the in
creases secured in the supplemental
agreement of 1917 and 1918 shall be
included in the wage scale as the basis
upon which the 60 percent shall be
added and that all day men be grant
ed an increase of $500 per day
"a uniform wage scale be estab-
lished so that the various occupations
Of like character at several collieries
shall command the same wage and that
shovel crews operating for coal COM
paines shall be paid not less than
rates paid by the contractors to shovel
M IN.
"a work day of not more than six
hours from bank to bank be estab-
lished for all classes of inside and out
side day labor, five days per week,
the uniform sales to be the basis
upon which the advance above demand
cd shall apply with time and half time
for overtime and houble time for Sun
days and holidays.
hours from bankbgk neutrality-suspicious.
"a closed shop contract, which
means full recognition of the United
Mine Workers Of America as a party
10 the agreement.
Cali dead work shall be paid for
on the consideration basis existing at
the colliery and that where more than
one miner is employed they shall re-
ceive the same rate.
Payment for all sheet iron, props,
timber, forepolling and cribbing where
mines are prevented from working on
account of<lack of supplies that they
be accorded the opportunity of MAX
ing a shift at some other work.
"In the settlement of grievance the
aggrieved parties shall have the right
TO demand settlement upon basis of
equity and when such equity settle
nent is requested the condition of
1902 shall not enter into or prejudice
the case.
"A uniform rate of seventeen cents
per inch be pad for all refuse in all
kinds of mining up to ten feet wide.
Wherever practicable coal shall be
paid for on the legal ton basis and that
dookage shall be eliminated.
THAT all reel motors and engine as
sistants or patchers be employed and
that when motormen or engineers are
repairing their motors or engines, that
their assistants shall be employed to
help in the work.
Fer all tools lost through no fault
Of employees as result Of squeezes,
water or fire, the men to be compen-
stated for such losses.
Where contract miners are employ
ed doing company work, the company
shall supply them with the necessary
tools and mailing to do so, shall COM
pengate the miners by paving each