Evening star., 1923-06-30
OPERATORS TO. GET
UNION TERMS SOON
Conference on Wage De-
! mands Within Week.
Expected:
By the Associated Press,


within week. The full scale COM
'mittee of the miners will meet the
operators and later it is probable the
making of q new agreement will be
Entrusted to a subcommittee,
; Little progress in the negotiations
is expected before August 1. The
miners are demanding an increase
;of 20 par cent In the contract wage
and a 5: day increase in the pay of
men paid by the day. Numerous
other demands are included in the
list adopted by yesterdays conven-
:tion. The question of a. suspension
."f mining in the event an agreement
rs not reached by August 81 was left
to the judgment of the scale commit
tees. When the question came up on
The floor of the convention, one dele
gate declared that miners could not
work where they had no contract.
The demands submitted to the con-
-Nention by the convention scale COM
2nittee were approved without amend
ment, except in one instance. The
committee recommended that men
paid by the day should have their
wages raised 81 a day. After a long
discussion, in which it was pointed
out that some laborers in other fields
of activity were receiving more than
the mine laborers, the convention
voted to ask for an increase of 81
day.
Ask 20 Per Cent Increase.
The principal demands call for an
increase of 20 per cent in the con-
tract wage; 81 day increase for men
paid by the day: two-year contract
with full recognition of the union;
uniformity and equalization of all
day rates; the eight-hour day for all
men employed in and about the mines:
that where coal is paid for by the car
the system be changed and il he paid
for by weight, and a number of other
demands of a technical nature.
The complete text of the demands
Is as follows:
81. We demand that the next con-
tract be for a period of two years
with complete recognition of the
United Mine Workers of America,
Districts l, and 9.
"2. We demand that the contract
wage scales. shall be increased 20
per cent. All day men shall be grant
ed an increase of So per day; that
being paid by the operators shall be
added to the contract rates; that the
differential in cents per day between
fh aGaIS Of Of tba labor gas to
Anthracite Coal Commission shall be
restored.
Demand Uniformity.
"3. We demand uniformity and
equalization of all day rates and that
skilled mechanics, such as carpenters,
blacksmiths. etc, shall be paid the
recognized standard rates existing in
the region. which rates should not
be less than 30 (ninety) cents per
hour as a basis; and that engineers
and pumpmen who do repair work
on their engines and pumps shall be
paid the mechanics rate quoted here
for n ran II
day men shall be paid time and one
half for overtime and double time for
Sundays and holidays.
"a. We demand that the provisions
of the eight-hour clause in the pres
ent agreement shall be applied to all
persons working in or around the
anti racite collieries coming under the
jurisdiction of the United Mine Work
ers of America, regardless of the oc-
equations, and that in the bringing
of these employees under the eight
hour day their basis shall be arrived
at in the same manner as the basis
was arrived at in the case OF pump
men and engineers, plus the increase
demanded in section 2 of this docu-
ment: and, further that inside day
labor shall work on the basis of
straight eight hours underground.
40. We demand where coal is paid
for by the car it shall he changed and
payment shall be made on the ton
basis of 2.240 pounds, and where
posed for refuse that the amount of
such refuse TO be permitted in any
car shall be fixed by the mine COM
mittee and colliery officials in con-
formity with the agreement, and that
the present unreasonable penalties
and dockage shall be abolished.
Want Better Conditions.
sc. We demand a more liberal and
satisfactory clause in the agreement COW
cring the question of miners who en-
oil nj inna in fhai
working places and that to correct this
situation the following quotation, 'un-
less otherwise directed by the foreman
shall be stricken from the agreement
covering this particular subject ana that
the consideration rate of each colliery
should be equivalent to the average
daily earnings of contract miners under
normal conditions and that for dead
work performed by the contract miner
he shall be paid this consideration rate.
f. We demand payment for all sheet
iron. props, timber, forepoling, extra and
abnormal shoveling. where such is not
now paid for, and that jack hammers
shall be supplied to miners free of
charge and that company workers shall
be supplied with tools free Of charge.
49, We demand that a uniform rate
of twenty 600 cents per inch be paid
for refuse in all kinds Of mining UP to
ten feet wide and that the rate for
blasting top and bottom rock shall not
he less than thirty 900 cents per inch
with the understanding that those rates
are To he the minimum not affecting
higher rates that exist.
Asks Early Decision.
80. We demand that after a griev-
ance has been disposed of by the con-
ciliation board and referred to the
umpire the umpire shall likewise
render his decision within thirty days.
said decision to be based upon equity
II requested by complainant
40: We demand that the wage
schedules be brought up to date con-
tanning all new rates and occupations
and that mine committees shall be
authorized to meet with company
officials and agree upon rates for
new work before such work is com
menced. and that such rates shall be
added to the rate sheet and complete
copies shall be supplied the commit
tees and filed with the board of con-
ciliation. The foregoing section to
apply likewise to new rates for pilI
lar work.
al. We demand that employees of
stripping contractors be brought un-
der the general agreement on their
present basis of wages plus the in
crease demanded herein and that
stripping locomotive engineers shall
receive a rate equal to that of the
shovel cranemen with extra payment
for looking after their engines pre-
Yious to starting time, at noontime and
shovels and boilers to be assigned
watchmen shall be restricted to a cer-
tain number to be determined upon
between the contractors and the COM
mittee.
1--WE recommend that our scale COM
operators agree to some provision in
the agreement regarding the price
Of coal and rent to be charged the
employees"