Arizona republican., 1922-02-19
COAL MINERS
TO ASK WAGE
COMPACT AND.
SIX HOUR DAY.
United Mine Workers Con-
vention Will Take Refer
endum Vote To Call
National Strike April /
TRepubIlean A. p. Leased Wlrel

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1S-General
suspension Of work by union coal
miners on April 1, subject to a ref
erendum vote OF the union member
ship, was ordered late today by the
convention of the United Mine Work
ers. Of America unless new wage
agreements were readjusted before
that date in both the bituminous and
the anthracite coal fields.
Before going on record in favor or
a strike the convection approved de-
mands for the retention OF the pres
ent basis wages for soft coal miners
and increases for the hard coal min
ers.
Renewal OF the demand OF union
coal miners for six hour day. five
day week, a proposal that was made
before the 1919 strike, was adopted
by the convention as a part of the
policy othe union viii seek to have
included in the new wage agreements
effective April /. This demand had
the united opposition of the unions
leaders, including all of the district
presidents.
The conveitnon action for the short
er work day, however. was the only
proposed by the unions scale com
mittee which centered the union pro
posals toward retaining present basic
wages for soft coal miners and gain
ing increases for anthracite workers
under threat of general strike. The
strike and wage proposals by the
committee were adopted by unan-
imous vote. The strike declaration.
however, provided for its submission
to q referendum vote OF the union
membership before any walkout is
ordered by the officials.
Override Committee
In declaring for the six hour day
the delegates overrode the committee
recommendations for an eight hour
day underground and also voted down
a proposal limiting actual work time
TO seven hours a day. Bitter crit
icism OF the unions officers waM
made by delegates in urging adoption
OF the six hour day. but several Of
ficials took the floor, appealing for
favorable action on the committees
eight hour demand. But. the dele
gates argued that the six hour pro
posal meant more continuous work,
and called on the officers to carry
out our wishes"
Whether the six hour day demand
obtains for the anthracite districts
was an unanswered question. 1t was
pointed out that the anthracite
workers were not opposing the pro
posal. President John l.. Lewis said
he was unable to advise the delegates
as to the siX-hour day as affecting
cite workers.
Aside from the action OF the six
hour day, the delegates also recorded
an intention to stiffen up some Of the
minor demands recommended by the
scale committee by substituting de
mand" for recommend" where IL
appeared in the committee report
It's other demands as adopted In
cluded the following:
Removal of inequitable differen
tials" in wages which would result In
increased wages in some fields; pay
and one half for overtime work: dou-
Die pay for Sunday and holiday work;
of the automatic penalty
clause of the present agreements pro
viding for filming miners or operators
Tor violation of contracts, and all new
contracts to obtain for two years,
April l.
Howst Meeting Today
The official vote rejecting the plea
1f Alexander Howat, and other ex-
PEELED Kansas miners, for reinstate-
nent IN the union, by vote of 2,073
to 1856 was read amid disorder
which subsided somewhat when
Frank Harrington, president OF the
Illinois miners, and the anti-admin-
stration leader, announced that all
Illinois delegates would hold a sepa
rate meeting here tomorrow after
loon.
MIR. Harrington said the meeting
was to elect the Illinois members OF
/ wage scale committee, and refused
% confirm or deny that the meeting
vas called in the interest of Howat.
President Lewis, in a formal state
nent after the sine die adjournment
IF the convention. said extensive