The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-17
GOAL COMMITTEES.
CANNOT AGREE ON
WAGE SCALE PLAN
Operators and Miners Discuss
Negotiations Scheme With
out Reaching Conclusion.
Three Proposals Made

chicago, November 1.-two sub
committees. one representing coal
operators and the other the miners
Of the bituminous fields, comforting
here in an effort to agree on some
plan to negotiate wage scale at a
meeting of miners and operators
next January announced tonight thai
they had disagreed and would so re-
port to the meeting of miners and
operators tomorrow morning. The
announcement was made by Harry 7.
Taylor OF Kansas City, president of
the Southwestern Coal Operators as
ISOLATION.
Three tentative plans were con-
considered by the subcommittee for
negotiating new agreements, II was
stated. One involved virtual
reinstatement OF the old central
competitive field as the basis, an
other would have enlarged the CEN
trail competitive field by the addition
of Kentucky and West Virginia and
the third plan was for a national
conference of operators and miners
to meet to form an agreement.
Three Plans Offered
Three of the proposals. it was I'M
derstood, were presented by the
operators committee, namely. the ma
tlonal conference plan, the negotia-
ton plan, the district and re-estab-
Hshment of the old central COM
petltIve field with additions. The
miners, 1t was reported, offered to
return to the old central competitive
field basis.
Inc southwestern plan. submitted
by Harry N. Taylor os Kansas City,
president OF the Southwestern Coal
Operators association, in brief pro-
vtdes for a national joint wage con-
terence of miners and operators to
establish a base rate for the entire
sole coal field, using the present day
soft coal field, using rate for differ
entails above and below the base to
meet extraordinary conditions in
certain districts.
To settle disputed questions, the
southwestern plan would establish
a joint executive board Applica-
ton of the wage basis, the agree
ment stipulated, would be vested in
the scale committees of each district
or group of districts. The addendum
stipulated that the base rates should
remain in effect six months, after
d
would have right to apply to the
joint executive board,
National Conference Idea
The other entirely new plan was
submitted by the northern West vir-
sinia Operators representative. 1t
was also predicated on the national
conference idea, providing for a ma
tional joint wage council, consisting
of an equal number of miners and
operators, to determine basis wage
scale, term of its duration and
changes in hours of labor.
To meet varying conditions in the
fields, the plan provided for district
scale committees which would fin
and apply differentlals. with refer
ence to the basic wage rates
Differing in a slight extent from
the southwestern plan, the West
Virginia proposal would set up ma
tional appeal board composed of an
equal number of miners and opera
tors with some disinterested person
sitting as chairman to consider and
decide all questions not settled by
the national joint wage council.
Miners Oppose
Both of these plans. it was said
were strongly opposed by the miners
committee of five, who then sug-
gested a return to the old central
competitive field basis, composed OF
Illinois, Indiana. Ohio and western
Pennsylvania.
To- this the operators were ire
concilable, it was said AS com
promise, however. they were reported