The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-04-29
SAGE FOUNDATION BACKS
MINERS CLAIM FOR STEADY WORK

That no perman emily satisfactory
agreement on wage rates can be
reached between miners and oper-
ators in the bituminus coal indus
try so long as the over-development
of many more mines than are re-
quired to supply the country's needs
results in giving an average of only
PA days of employment to the $780,
900 men in the industry, thus nulli-
flying the advantage Of increased
rates Of pay, is the conclusion of
ity, summary of which is made
public today by the Russell Sage
Foundation. In connection with it's
studies Of human relations in in
dustry the Foundation has analysed
facts on irregularity of production
and employment in bituminous
mining over period Of 80 years,
and the most recent statistics of an
nual earnings, gathered from state
and federal bureaus and from asso
| Citations in the coal industry, includ-
ing the United States Geological
Survey, the United States Bureau of
Labor Statistics, state bureaus of
mines, the National Coal Associa-@
ton, and the United Mine Workers.
The bituminous coal mines have
been open for work on an average
of only PA days year in the 30
years from 1890 through 1921. II
304 days be regarded as a full work.
ing year, the lost days Of employ
ment and of mine operation have
averaged 80 in a year. Only twice,
and this during the war, did the
miner reach the high mark when
year. In IL of these 50 years the
loss of working time, and conse-
quently Of wages. has averaged 100
days or more for the bituminous
miner.
OF these lost days, 81 per cent,
according to the estimates of the
United States Geological Survey
! have been due to the over-develop-
| ment Of soft coal mines. Mines now
in operation could produce from 700
million to 900 million tons a. year,
according to various estimates of
the Presidents Bituminous Coal
Commission and statisticians Of tho
! Geological Survey, while the coun-
try can use approximately 500 mill
| lion tons. This excessive develop
ment of mines brings more men
into the industry than are needed
and makes employment intermit-
tent and uncertain even when bust
ness In general is most prosperous.
AS the demand for soft coal has in
creased, from little over 100 mil
lion tons to over 500 million tons
annually in the past three decades,
the number Of mines and the num-
Der Of employees have increased, but
the days Of employment in a year
have shown no appreciable increase,
except temporarily during the per-
iod Of the war. increased demand
and higher prices have resulted in
| opening new mines, charging others,
and employing more miners, rather
than in giving more regular employ
ment to men in the mines already
open.
| | Seasonal variations in demand, &C
cording to the Geological Survey,
account for Al per cent of the lost
days in bituminous mining. In the
period Of 1923 to 1922, the produc-
ton Of coal in the month of great
est output exceeded production in
the month of least output by H.
100000 to 100000 tons or more.
and was never less than 100000
in keeping more men and more carp
ital in the industry to be equipped
for the annual peak Of demand than
would be needed if work were more
evenly distributed throughout the
year. This excess Of numbers en-
ployed tends to make employment
Irregular and uncertain. Neverthe-
less, even the elimination of sea-
sonan variations would not make
employment regular so long as too
many mines are operated.
To offset periods OF idleness and
lack of earnings, the bituminous
miners are forced to seek higher
rates of pay. But these higher rates
do not give the miner a living wage
throughout the year when he has
the opportunity to earn wages so
few days in the year. In 1920, the
United Mine Workers reported to
the Bituminous Coal Commission
that in the year of greatest regu-
larity of employment. 1918, the av-
erage annual earnings of their
members in the Central COMPETE
tives Field varied from 1864 in
Ohio to q maximum Of 1858 in
western Pennsylvania. Had they
been able to work 3o4 days a year,
their earnings with those rates
might have reached g. maximum Of
$3.50. Figures submitted by the
operators did not show annual earn
ings, but the daily averages approx
imated closely the miners statistics.
Data derived from the United States
Census indicate that in 1919 the av-
erage annual earnings Of miners In
the same area varied from 1902