New-York tribune., 1920-04-01
100000 Soft Coal
Miners Get Raise
OF S2OO,0OO,0O0
Operators Forecast Increased
Prices as Agreement Is
Reached ON the Terms
of Wilson's Commission

The Joint conference of bituminoue
coal miners and operators representing
the central competitive field at it's
meeting at the Waldorf Astoria yester-
day ratified a new agreement running
for two years. The agreement is based
on the award of the Presidents coal
commission, granting the miners a
wage increase of 27 per cent, and averts
the Threatened strike in the btum inous
coal fields, scheduled for o-day None
of the provisions of the award made
by the Presidents commission was
altered in the new contract.
The wage increases will aggregate
about S2oO,OOO,0Oo a year and will bs
applicable to about 100000 miners in
the soft coal fields. Although the
miners have asserted throughout the
controversy that operators should bear
the increased costs themselves. the
mine owners reiterated last night their
announcement that the price of soft
coal at tht mines would be increased
by from 65 cents to $3.50 a ton. T. L.
Lewis, secretary Of the New River
Coal Operators Associa ton of West
Virginia, said that operators were try
lng merely to keep prices from run
ming away" and to keep out specu-
lators.
There is no possible chance" said
Mr.. Lewis, "of production during the
hext year coming anywhere near to
meeting the demand. Even with suffi-
clent cars to transport coal and make
dS-fl ,1,i)1 ho hi
the situation, as we will be confronted
by the labor shortage problem. The
coalfelds at present are affected by
this problem, and it is gradually grow
ing worse"
In addition to granting the miners a
27 per cent wage increase for tonnage
work, the new agreement gives a 20
per cent increase to day workers. The
eight day remains unchanged and
the working conditions will continue as
before
The agreement, which will continue
in effect until March 81, 1922, also
calls for the appointment of a commits
sion of miners and operators to study
dfferentials as to working conditions,
wage earnings. production costs and
competitive relations, as we'll as the
checkof system Of collecting dues for
the United Mine Workers of America.
The award of the Presidents com
mission becomes part of the wage
agreements in the districts affected"
The schedule of wages provided by
the new contract follows:
The prices for mining mine run coal,
pick and machine, shall be advanced
"a cents ton. All day labor and
monthly men (the advance to monthly
men to be based on an average of the
usual number Of days he is required to
work month";, except trappers and
other boys, is advanced 81 a day Trap
pers and boys receiving less than mems
wages are advanced 53 cents a day.
All yardage, dead work and room turn
ing work is advanced 20 per cent
The joint conference Of miners and
operators, representing the anthracite
coal fields, continued in session at the
Union League yesterday. Good prog
ress was reported. Philip Murray, vice
president of the United Mine Workers,
said the decision of the bituminous coal
conference will have an important bear
ing on the anthracite situation.
He added, however, that the anthra-
cite miners will insist on an increase
OF 1877 per cent over the 81 per cent
award granted the bituminous work
ers. Mr.. Murray says the anthracite
conference probably will continue for
another two weeks. The miners brough.
up the question as to whether the strip
ping contractors in the anthracite fields
were to participate In the pay increase
which goes into effect to-day. Pending
a new contract, the operators con-
sented to make the increase retroactive
from to-day