The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-04-16
HELD ALL THEY HAD;
GAINED S2OO,OOO,OOO

AllhOuSu the united States
Mine Workers of America did not
succeed in obtaining all they hoped
! to obtain from the Bituminous
Coal Commission, survey of the
net result of the controversy of the
last several months is such as to
bring a considerable benefit to the
miners of the country. This is the
opinion expressed at the interna-
tional headquarters of the United
Mine Workers, in this city.
1t is pointed out that in the entire
affair, the miners did not lose one
single thing that they possessed
when they entered the struggle for
better things. In spite of all of the
terrific fight that was waged
against them, not only by the op-
orators, but by other interests and
influences that We're powerful and
dangerous, the miners came through
with a clean slate.
And not only did the miners
hold and retain everything they
had when they entered the contro-
versy, but they won an increase in
wages amounting to total of $2,-
100000 a year. 1t is the largest
wage increase ever won by the coal
miners of America. In fact. it is
believed here to be the largest
lump increase ever granted to the
workers in any single award in the
history of American industry.
While this increase is not all
that the miners hoped to obtain, yet
it will bring a degree of added hap
piness and sunshine into the homes
of the more than 100000 mine
worokers and make life little bet
ter for them.
The fact that this increase in
wages was granted to the mine
workers by a commission created
and appointed by the President of
the United States, after the COM
had spent many weeks in
an exhaustive investigation of the
coal industry. proves that the min
ers were right in their contention
last fall that they were entitled to
a substantial increase in wages in
order that they might meet the
tremendous strain of the present
high cost of living. The miners
said then that it would require a !
so percent increase to enable them |
% maintain their families on the
1920 level and standard of living, |
out the majority of the commission
decided to limit them to a 27 per-
;ent increase.
There has been considerable dis
over the method by
which the 27 percent increase was
applied by the majority of the COM
1t was found that the
ward gave the pick and machine
miners an increase of "a cents ton
or mining coal, while the day la
,orers and others who work by the
lay or by the month instead of by
he ton received only an increase
# 81 a day. This is regarded by
he miners as an unfair application
because, they say, if the day and
men received the same
increase as was Civ
n to the pick and machine miners I
hey would have received an addi-
ional S1.35 a day instead of 81 a
ay. This, however, is a condition
hat will work itself out and find
IS own solution, the miners say. b
he operators also realize the in
ustice of this feature of the award. S
hey realize that it will be difficult
0 retain many or the day and I
lonthly men with the 81 increase
hen they can make more money
S miners and leaders with the "a
ents a ton increase. This problem, g,
therefore,, will find its own solu-
on in the individual miners.
The award of the majority of the &
refused to shorten the
ork day. and this question is left
n future determination.
There were several other matters
lat should have been decided in c
lvor of the miners, but the one
reat, outstanding feature of the t
ltire matter is that the miners l
eld all they had and gained $780, c
10000 a year n