Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-30
Contract Men Get
20 Per Cent Over
Present Rate.
DOES NOT JUSTIFY
RETAIL ADVANCE
Tacks $85,OOO,OO0 to
Annual Pay Rolls,
Is Estimate.

AI111uo1 oy A\oAASs
Is Estimate.
President Wilson today approved the
ma jority report of the anthracite coal
commission, increasing the wages OF
eontract miners 90 per cent over the
present rates Miners employed as
Hompany men are given an increase of
HI per cent. Consideration miners
And miners laborers and monthly men
Are granted the same increase
The findings, the report said. would fix
q minimum rate of 52k cents per hour
for the lower paid men in the anthra-
6ite industry.
Officials of the anthracite commission
Said the joint wage scale committee
of miners and operators had ALREADY
been called to meet Wednesday or
Thursday to consider application of the
Award. They characterized the meet
ding Of miners at Wilkes-Barre, "a,
aast night as an insurgent gathering
without authority to commit the mlnT
ers to rejection.
No Strike Action Taken.
No action has been taken by the
1division of conciliation. Department
of Labor. on the threatened strike
of 175.000 miners in the bituminous
coal fields of Pennsylvania, Hugh L,
kerwin, director of conc1llauon' saao
today.
Mr. Kerwin said the division would
mot voluntarily take action or send
Conciliators to the coal fields, but
fntimated the White House might
ask for the services of the Depart
snent of Labor this afternoon.
The President struck out of the re-
port of the anthracite commission
provision fixing the terms OF nr5 re.ro
which. he said. was outside the COM
missions jurisdiction. Thomas Ken
nedy, chairman of the miners scale
committee. had protested TINS lea
ture of the award. he said
Consistent with Decline.
The majority report declared that
fhe award offers no justification for
any advance in the retail prices OF
coal, but on the other hand is con-
sistent with decline in prices" Any
sharp advance in retail prices the re-
mort added. could not be charged to
the operators, the miners or the
esaan Anthracite mime workers will re-
eeive about $1s.ooo,ooo in back pay
under the retroactive feature of the
award, which makes it effective April
4. 1920. and the total increase awarded
to the lis, 900 miners will advance, the
commission said, "at least $S5,0O0,0O0
annually.
The majority report, as approved.
hnakes the following awards upon the
Eemands Of the anthracite miners:
Continues the award of the anthracite
coal strike commission. the supsequen!
agreements and the rulings of the board
Of conciIiation, except as changed by
the present award.
Directs that the back pay of all such
employees who have died since April l,
1920, be paid to the legal representative
OF such employe.
Sustains the demand for contract
not exceeding a period of two years and
directs two-year contract
Upon the demand that the making of
individual contracts and agreements in
the mining of coal be prohibited, the
commission holds that the right of con-
tract cannot be denied. The commission
recognizes. however, that abuses OF tne
contract system are possible The COM
mission directs that upon complaint OF
any employe affected by the contract
system the board of conciliation shall
review such individual contracts SO as
10 protect and conserve the right OF
all employees in the colliery affected
Pay Awards Listed.
ITpon the demand for increase in
wages the commission makes the 1ol-
lowing awards:
The rates of the contract miners are
Increased $50 above the rates of 1915
This is. an increase Of 2oso over present
rates.
The rates of company men are in
creased 179e above present rates, with
"A minimum rate of 521a cents per
hour. This makes an increase to the
Cow paid men of little over 22T:
The rates paid consideration miners
ere increased 179o over present rates.
The rates paid contract miners Ia
borers and consideration miners Ia
borers are increased 17fe.
Monthly men are increased 11fe
above present wages.
The demand for the establishment
of uniform wage scale for various
occupations of like character is re-
derred to the board of conciliation to
act as a commission to make study
of and report to the next joint con-
ference. or sooner if practicable, the
matter of uniformity in day rates.
The demand that shovel crews oper-
AUng for coal companies shall be paid
not less than the rates paid by con-
tractors to shovel men is denied.
The demand that the eight-hour day
BE extended to all classes of inside
and outside day labor and monthly
.Snen is referred to the board of con-
'riliation to work out a basis of eight
hour shifts and rates for inside pump
hJnen and engineers working on a
basis is worked out the men in ques-
tion are to be paid for the time
worked by them in excess of eight
hours during the period the board is
working out this basis.
Recognize the Union.
Inc demand IOT Ilne and half time
Yor overtime and double time for sun
days and holidays is denied
The demand for recognition of the
United Mine Workers of America as A
party to the contract is granted The
demand for a "closed shop" and
scheck- off, is denied
The demands that all dead werk
shall be paid for on a consideration
basis and where more than one miner
is employed they shall receive the
same rates. are denied.
The demand for payment for all
sheet iron. props. timber, forepolling
and cribbinG is denied.
The demand where miners are pre-
vented from working on account of
Jack of supplies they shall be ac-
corded the opportunity of making a
shift at some other work was with
drawn by Commissioner Ferry.
The demand that in the settlement
of grievances that the aggrieved par
lies shall have the right to demand
settlement upon the basis of equity is
denied.
The demand for the payment of a
uniform rate of II cents per inch
for refuse of all kinds in mining up
TO ten feet wide is denied
The demands for payment on con-
6ideratfon basis and thd elimination
of dockage are denied.
The demands that on all reel motors
zone motor man and two brakemen be
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