Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-01
,':'o "'','s:'" t':s:, ',::' GUS WAGE
CONTRACT RATIFIED
Operators and Miners Scale
Committees Accept Award of
President Wilson'S Coal Com
mission

New York. March 31.--The negotiations
for new agreement for the bituminouS
coal miners were brought 70 close this
afternoon when the general scale commit
tee of operators and miners of the cen
trail competitive field ratified a contract
emhodylng the award of President Will
sons coal commission.
This now agreement. which involves a
wage increase of = per cent. becomes
effective Tomorrow morning and will con-
t'nue In force for a period Of two years
One of the features of the new cor
tract Is a clause which provides that all
internal differences" in the various dis
tricts of the bituminous coal fields will
be settled by the district officers Of the
mine workers and operators. There must
be nothing, however. in adjusting thee
matters that will increase the cost OF
production or decrease the earning
capacity Of the mine workers
The new agreement also condemns"
the bonus system now used by operators
in competing with each other for en-
poyes. The contract provides that all
agreements in the various districts should
contain penalty" cause for any stop
page Of work" or unauthorized strikes.
The international officers of the United
Mine Workers also agree to make the
agreement binding in every detail.
The eight hour day as now in cffact IN
the soft coal regions is continued by the
new agreement.
Immediately upon adoption Of the cor
tract by unanimous vote of the members
Of the scale committee, it was signed by
the international officers of the United
Mine Workers. John l.. Lewis, president.
Phillip Murphy. vice. president and Will
MI
by two operators and two miners of eacl
Of the four States of the central con
petitivc field-Indiana. Ohio, Illinois and
Pennsylvania.
Representatives of the mine operators
of West Virginia Kentucky and other
districts, not included in the central COM
petitive field Immediately announced that
they would also put into effect the new
contract in their territory.
Wage increases totallng approximately
5000, ,000 GO annually are granted the mine
workers in the new agreement which
effects about 100000 soft coal diggers.
Despite contention Of workers that in
creases should be borne by the operators
without additional cost TO the public tho
mine owners tonight reiterated their an
nouncement that present coal prices win
be boosted from s. cents to $50 per ton
at the mines.
Murray characterized the purposed in
creases in coal prices as Exaggerated
and uncalled for"
Repre- of the miners also pro-
duced statistics tonight to show the IL
creases We're ''unwsrranted." They de-
clared that present prices were mo refiec-
ton of what the miners received in in
creases" as the total increase to the men
since 1913 was but n cents per ton, while
the increase in the cost Of coal averages
from Sill before the war 10 $40"
Mine workers asserted that, although
Fuel Administrator Garfield declared the
operators could absorb the II per cent
he awarded the miners without increas-
ing the price Of coal to the consumer, the
mine owners had boosted their prices
accordingly.
"Now, we contend" said miner
statiStician, that the operators can
absorb the 10 per cent additional increase
without placing a further burden on the
public"
r. l.. Lewis, secretary of the New River
Coal Operators association of West Nir-
gina, declared to-day that the operators
were justified in Increased prices because
of the increase in wages, cost of equip
ment and overhead expenditures.