The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-15
NEW WAGE SCALE
.0F MINERS UNION
BROAD IN SCOPE
Permits Referendum Vote
in Each Mining
District
MAY LIMIT STRIKE
Action Will Place Union
Leaders Beyond Reach
of Injunction
BY U. H. DUNLAP
Staff Corresnnndnnt

oGdlL SoTTeSPonpent
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 15.-
Close observers see plenty of lat,
itude' in the new scale to make
the district Unit for settlement
In cas- of emergency to save the
organization in the outlying dis.
tricts. For the first time in the
history of the organization this
provision has been written in the
wage contract. 1t is generally in.
terpreted that should strike
break out in the central competi-
tive fields that the policy commit.
tee is empowered to recommend
for a referendum vote to the
miners in the district the basis of
settlement.
Under the new agreement the
ortlying districts could work pend.
ing negotiations and settlement in
the central competitive fields, pro.
Xiding they paid the present scale.
This would. probably be a condi.
ton similar to the one experienced
in the Falrmont field during the
strike OF 1918. 1t is very diplomat.
ically phased. but under the new
agreement the general scale com.
mittee can use Its best judgment
in averting additional strike trou.
bles in the outlying districts and
thereby saving their organization
In those fields.
With the miners OF the affected
outlying districts TO vote on the
propositions submitted by the gen.
eral scale committee as to the
basis OF settlement therein, a new
angle has developed in scale 'mak,
ing. Should the miners decide to
strike by their vote, 1t would place
matters in such shape that court
injunction could not reach the
miners leaders who in the past or.
dered strikes directly. While the
check.off is not mentioned, It Is
generally assumed that this Is OBJ
ligatory in all miners contracts.
II the scale committees report
is adopted as recommended 1t will
mean a suspension Of work in the
hard coal fields, because sufficient
time shall not have elapsed to per
nit the polling and tabulation ol
the referendum vote by April l.
May Ask Red Cross for Aid
There is some talk here OF West
Virginians asking the convention
to request the National Red Cross
society to extend aid to destitute
miners and their families in Wesl
Virginia, but this will hardly come
before that body because 1t Is moi
included in the call and also be
cause the National Red Cross SO
lciety is already investigating the
conditions in southern West Vir
gtnia.
Joe Angelic, of Kansas, interna
tional organizer of Fairmont, sale
tonight that $3.50 miners are al
work In Kansas, with probably buI
200 yet striking.
Fred Mooney OF Charleston, sec
retary Of District II, has arrived
at the convention. There are
2200 delegates present.
Opposed to Rockefeller Plan
The Rockefeller or the so-callet
representation plan Is a failure, ac
cording to Michael Livoda. Pueblo
Colo, who Is acting president o.
district is and a member Of the
international scale comittee. "oniy
two things can the Rockefeller
plan be given credit for having i'm
proved-better homes and recrea'
ton buildings"
Under the Rockefeller plan, con
tinued Livoda, the miners voted
100 per cent in opposition 10 the
proposition TO decrease wages. By
coersion, the miners he eontended
were forced TO sign petitions ask
ing for a decrease in wages. In the
section where the Rockefeller In
terests are located In Las Animas
Huerfano and Fremont counties
eviction proceedings were begun
but the miners organization made
every effort possible to keep the
men and their families from beinl
removed from the houses Of tha
company. .s
According to Llvoda, 1900
miners belonging to the union oui
OF $500 are at wor kat union OPP
erations nearby, working two, three
and four days a week. He also con
tended that the Rockefeller con
cern, the Colorado Fuel and Iror
company. is not producing a limit.
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