Evening star., 1923-08-21
MINE PARLEY SPLIT
ON WAGE SCHEDULE
Operators and Union Far
Apart on Increase De-
manded by Workers.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., August
21.-Today, the second of. renewed
wage contract negotiations in the an
thracite industry, found mine oper-
ators and miners union officials
widely separately in their ideas of
proper mine pay rates. The subject,
opened at the first meeting yester-
day, was taken again into Joint meet
ing for discussion today. while the
ten other demands of the union upon
the mine owners were temporarily
set aside.
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers. emphasized the
81 increase demanded for day men as
Increases for steel workers, building
trades and textile hands. S. d. War
riner. head of the operators policy
committee, responded that the an
thracite scales as fixed in 1920. had
not been decreased since and had
been declared generally adequate by
the United States Coal Commission.
The miners union spokesman fur
ther said that the bituminous miners
got moro money, while operators
countered with the proposition that
the anthracite mines gave regular
ment
Pending demands of the union for
70 per cent increase in piece rates
per ton for mining coal, which affect
miners other than the day men, were
up for fuller examination today. The
increased wage bill would add So per
ton to the price of prepared sizes of
coal to the consumer, took the gen.
eral position that no additional charge
could be borne by the industry or the
public.
Wages Chief Topic.
Wage rates in the anthracite in
dustry were the chief topic of dis
cussion before yesterdays session.
BY common consent, both groups set
aside the questions of check off for
union dues and union recognition,
which blocked previous attempts at a
settlement that would prevent a sus-
pension of anthracite production Sep
tember I. and proceeded to an analysis
Of the unions demands for general
wage increases.
They were. however, in no degree
advanced toward common view
point when adjournment was taken.
In the meantime. the United States
industry's leaders to meet again in
spite of their deadlock, was given a
report of the days transactions.
Mr.. Lewis and Phillip Murray; vice
ers, and Rinaldo Cappilleni. c. J.
Golden and Thomas Kennedy, it's
three district presidents in the an
thracite region, laid out the unions
demand for a So per day increase for
all day workers in and around the
mines, and for a 20 per cent increase
in piece rates per ton for mining coal
| S. d. Warriner. chairman or the an,
three associates, w. j. Richards, A.
b. Jessup and w. W. Inglis, in the
joint meeting, opposed.
Fear Competition.
The operators took the general
ground that the increase could be met
only by increasing the price OF COAL
by perhaps as much as s2 per ton'
and that the consumer was In no po-
sition to pay the extra charge and
that the industry was in no position
to collect it. The competition OF oi-
luminous coal and oil, as supstltuIs
result in the shutting down OF an
, thracfte mines and the unstaoliizihs
of anthracite production, m
Mr.. Lewis estimated that 30 per
cent OF the men III tno -
rate of about s4.20 per day, ana that
the average yearly earnings OF sucn
a man, provided he worked the ZIl
days, which is the average OF an
thracite operation. would be $l'!as.
The amount was Inadequate the
union spokesman said.
Both sides questioned coal commits
sion findings as to anthracite labor
conditions, Mr.. Warmer asserting
that official reports had found the
labor rates sufficient to meet living
costs. The union contingent SAID
that the coal commission had sug-
ing in coal and that the lower paid
men would have to work Sundays,
holidays and some nights to make
that much.
Ask Arbitration.
Operators further said that the ne
gotiations, so far as they were con-
cerned, were being renewed with
continuous offer in behalf OF the en-
ployers to leave points in the con-
troyersy to arbitration and to keep
the mines running while arbitration
proceeded. on the understanding that
the final decision would be made re-
troactive to September /. Existing
wage contracts in the industry ex-
pire on that date.
The union had made eleven de-.
mands for alteration OF present ar
rangements which they seek to have
incorporated in the new wage con-
tract. The advanced wage scale is
the second on the list, the first being
the demand for recognition. check
off, and two-year contract.