Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-02-23
Strike Ordered April | II It
is Refused.
DOUBLE PAY FOR SUNDAY
Convention Demands Present Bitumin-
Gus Rate and 20 Per Cent Increase
For Miners, With Six-Hour Day and
Five-Day Week.

Indianapolis. a general suspen-
sion of work by union coal miners
on April 1, subject to a referendum
vote of the union membership, was or
dered before final adjournment by the
convention of the United Mine Work
ers of America, unless new wage agree
ments are readjusted before that date
In both the bituminous and anthracite
coal fields.
Before going on record in favor of
strike, the convention approved de-
mands for theretention of present ba-
sic wages for soft coal miners and
increase for the hard coal miners.
The convention adopted the six-hour
day and fve-day week, after rejecting
proposals for a six-day week with
either seven or eight hours of actual
work.
Demands of the anthracite miners
for a 20 per cent wage increase for
tonnage men and 81 day increase for
day men were ratified.
The convention adopted unanimous
ly the demands for pay and one-half
for overtime and double pay for Sun
day and holiday work Likewise it
adopted the demand that the miners
wages be paid weekly.
Removal of the automatic penalty
clause for fining operators or miners
for violation Of agreements also was
adopted
The convention decided that all new
wage agreements shall be for two
years and date from next April 1.
Vice President Philip Murray ap-
pealed to the convention not to favor
the six-hour day, five-day week, saying
that in the committee report 1--WE feel
we have a demand that we can now
safely appeal to the people of America
WITH
Mr.. Murray sad the six-hour day
demand of two years ago was then
misunderstood by the public, thinking
it meant six hours underground in
stead of six hours actual work.
Don't place anything in your re-
port" continued Murray, chat will
in any way handicap the United Mine
Workers of America in wage scale
negotiations. Cast aside passion and
sentiment and pass a report that the
American people,"
Charles Faris, of Hillsboro, H., urg-
ed adoption of the shorter day, say
ing that if the union officials don't
like to fulfill the offices, let them step
down." and L. L. Walters, of Scam.
mon, Kansas, offered a substitute for
the six-hour day that was substantially
the same as the rejected proposal OF
the committee report
While Walters substitute was pend
ing Fred Mooney, secretary of the
West Virginia district, told the dele
gates that to adopt the six-hour day
Nyou are going to commit suicide" He
referred to the possible output of the
non-union fields, saying this coal would
fill the markets now supplied by union
fields if a strike followed effort to
gain a siX-hour day.
"And you can strike" added
Mooney, until Gabriel blows his trum-
pet, and that is all the good it will do
you"
John Hessler president of the Indi.
ana miuers, declared a six-hour day
proposal would tend toward making
s'top-heavy" demands" and added that
the eight-hour day proposal limited to
actual working time was substantially
the import of the six-hour proposal
of two years ago. He referred to the
1919 strike failing to win adoption of
a six-hour day, saying ''if you could not
get it two years ago, when the country
was freezing to death, you can't get ii
now"