The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-04-28

Another coal strike is on. 1t be-
gan at midnight, March 81. At that
time the contract under which the
United Mine Workers of America
and the mine owners in the Central
| field-Indiana. Illinois, Ohio, and
Western Pennsylvania-had expired
by limitation. This contract fixed
wages and working conditions.
The contract also provided for an
interstate Joint conference to be
held between the parties prior to
April /, at which time it was eX-
pected that the old contract would be
renewed or a new contract would be
entered into. The provision for the
conference was as follows:
AN interstate Joint conference
shall be held prior TO April /. 1922,
the time and place Of holding such
meeting to be referred to a commit
tee Of two operators and two miners
from each state herein represented,
together with international officers
of the United Mine Workers Asso-
citation"
The miners have been ready at all
a conference as provided in this con-
tract.
The mine owners have fatty re-
fused to comply with its terms.
1t is we'll understood that the
president in person and through his
department of labor has urged the
mine owners to keep their agree
ment and meet the miners in con-
ference.
The operators have ignored all
i -, 81,
cipitated this strike.
The plan of the mine owners is
obvious. They effected a powerful
nationwide organization during the
war. They have partitioned the
country into districts and have open
understandings as to prices and prac-
tees.
Perfectly organized themselves,
they are determined to destroy the
miners protective organizations to
the end that miners will be COM
PEELED to bargain with them as in
dividuals.
They know that the miners organ
izations have been greatly weakened
by unemployment.
They have been conducting a cam
paign of misrepresentation as to the
earnings of the men employed in this
| industry.
Employment in an industry that
averages a loss of one-third of the
| workers time must of necessity
require a proportionate increase in
pay for the time when the wage
Garner is actually employed.
George Otis Smith, Director of the
| United States Geological Survey, in
an address to the American Mining
| Congress. October 10, 1921, said:
| THE average bituminous mine in
the United States can expect to run
only 215 days in the year"
In considering the effect of lost
time upon the miner and his family
it must be understood that the miner
is not employed for 215 consecutive
working days in the year.
If the miner could count on 215
working days solid time he coulC
then seek other employment during
the time when the mines were CLOSED
to him. But such is not the case
He never knows when he will bt
the victim of enforced idleness. He
must be ready to work when the
mine boss so directs if he is to hole
his job.
Mr.. Winthrop D. Lane. contribut
ing editor of The Survey, in an ex
cellent article in the April number
of the Survey Graphic, prints al
interview with Jim Pennington, ;
miner of forty years experience
presenting the miners point of view
on the irregularity of employment.
Mr.. Lane thus introduces his read
ers to the Pennington "home:"
eve were in the sitting room IL
his four-room company owned hous
on one of the narrow creek bed
that ran between high hills down il
West Virginia. Opposite the row o
houses was the only street. the rail
road track A black hog was root
ing in the mud near Pennington
front steps as | entered. Tin can
strewed the ground and there wer
no sidewalks anywhere. The who'll
prospect was utterly barren am
neglected. Inside l found Mrs. Pen
nington and the five children: thes
now retired into another room
hushed and listening"
Responding to Mr.. Lanes ques
tions. Pennington said:
"Folks don't realize how man.
| tIiIiSS CHeIe are IildI iiahC q AlbhSt
work unsteady. Suppose we go to tn,
mine some morning and the bos
says Boys, there's water in tina
place where you was working yester
day. That means we wait till it.
pumped out.
Maybe there has been a fall anC
the roof is lying around over every
thing. The slate and dirt has to b'
picked up.