The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-31
PLANS TO PAY OWN
SCALE UNTIL NEW
WAGES ARE FlSED
tcontInaed iEoml page to,ae.!.lII

4 FlES An NEU
1 Continued from page oae!)
cepted this invitation BY telegram
i for a conference preliminary to the
negotiations.
The association sent 10 Baltt
more on the 18th 70 negotiate an
agreement with the United Mine
Workers Of America the full scale
committee and the sub.scale COM
mittee, and a meeting oithe dIrec.
tors Of the association was also
called the same date at the same
place. Mr.. Keeney appeared at this
meeting, stating he had no author
ity, and asked that an adjournment
take place until the 25th, at which
time he would come back TO Balti
more to meet with the operators
with authority to negotiate and
continue a scale. He stated tina.
his district convention was to meet
! at Charleston on the 21st and that
this convention would appoint a
scale committee with authority to
act and that he would secure au.
thorIty from the International Pol
Icy Board at their meeting In
Cleveland on the Gath.
ITO all OF these requests the
operators agreed, and returned to
Baltimore on the 25th of March,
prepared to negotiate and sign a
scale with an agreement for work
ing conditions. The meeting con-
yened ut the Southern Hotel, Baltl-
more, on TIE 25th shortly after 10
a. M. and Fred Mooney, secretary
Of district no. II, requested I'D.
1ournment until 1880, stating that
1t would be impossible for Mr.. Kee
ney to be present until that time.
Adjournment was agreed to and
upon re.convenlng at 1880, Mr..
Keeney was asked II he was pre-.
pared to negotiate and sign wage
agreement for the field OF North
ern West Virginia, beginning April
l.. Mr., Keney replied, Mfr. Chair.
man and gentlemen, ] am anauthor.
lied to negotiate and conclude a
contract at this time. Mr.. Keeney
also made further statements with
reference TO why he did not have all-
thority, and after his speech Inter.
national Representative Moore
made statement TO the same ef.
feet that Mr.. Keeney spoke and the
meeting adjourned.
Notwithstanding these facts,
the United Mine Workers OF AM
| erica sent to individual members
of their organization in Northern
West Virginia the following refer
endum ballot:
Do you favor and vote for
general suspension Of mining
operations beginning April /,
when the present contract between
coal miners and operators expires,
/ in the event no agreement is
reached by that tiIne?'
! by the mine workers. refusal
to negotiate new contract as
specified on this ballot, they des-
troyed the only means OF prevent
ing suspension Of work on April
/.
From this record, the public
will clearly understand the posi-
ton Of the Northern West VIr-
glnia Coal Operators Association
in the present, situation. That por
sition has been consistently 1,
Willingness to negotiate with the
I miners union in an effort to avoid
a stoppage OF production in this
district. The operators not only
took the initiative by asking for
negotiations. but consented to de-
lay while the miners officials
sought to obtain authority from
their national policy committee.
The fact that the district union
officials are without this authority
has been and still is the sole OBJ
stacie to peaceful settlement in
Northern West Virginia. The
scale committee OF the operators
has been from the start authorized
to conduct sucs negotiations. That
the public will not obtain It's usual
supply OF coal from this district is
due simply and solely to the Ma
tional policy of the United Mine
Workers.
In the face OF this attitude on
the part Of the operators, It must
be obvious that a suspension OF
mining operations on April 1st is
not only not of their seeking, but
beyond their power TO prevent,