The daily worker., 1925-06-03
UNEMPLOYMENT
NOT CURED BY
WAGE CUTTING
Alberta Miners Find
Operators Lied
BY TIM BUCK.

pkalon in the Crows Nest Pass, the
faVorite argument used by the opera
tors, was that a wage cut would en-
able them to guarantee steady work.
After Fernle had accepted the cut,
all the rest of the camps were RECALLED
will all kinds of stories as to the
amount of work available there, the
inference being of course, that II the
other men accepted similar conditions,
they would also have STEADY work."
We have repeatedly pointed out the
fallacy Of such arguments, and shown
inasmuch as the railways burn coal
to generate heat, and not merely to
demonstrate their satisfaction with
miners wages, the wage cut would
not increase the amount burned by
one ounce; and after all camps had
accepted the cut, production would be
about the same, divided between the
same mess in about the same proper
tions as before.
STEADY Work" Bubble Bursts.
And within less than a month of
the acceptance Of the cut by the last
camp in the Hillcrest-ev
are developing exactly as foreshad-
owed in our warning.
The Crows Nest Pass Coal COM
pany-Fernie and Michel-have al
ready withdrawn their guarantee of
five shifts per week, ans have not
worked FIVE shifts Tor S5ne time.
This means that the worker classi-
fed as common laborer" outside,
loses the guarantee of five days per
week at $4.O0 per day, which was to
have been so much better than "un-
certain employment at $5.1S. While
the miner enjoys" four days STEADY
work" at $500 instead of $3.50.
Having started off with a rush, the
other camps of the Crow are also al
ready cutting down. The Internation-
al Mine, at Coleman stopping all three
shifts on Monday, Belleview staying
idle Saturdays despite the fact that
this mine is only producing at about
rs per cent of capacity-Bl Blairmore
closed down for two days last week.
and prospects are that these arrange
ments will remain the rule until the
mines up north get back to work,
when production will be reduced still
more.
Boss Sticks the Knife in Deep.
Victimization is rampant, and with
an army of men outside looking for
jobs, the operators cutting down pro-
duction and laying men off, the out
look is far from bright Many of the
blacklisted men have tried for work
at every mine in the Pass and eastern
British Columbia, the invariable an
swer being: Nothing doing!" Hill
crest is bad place to come from II
you want job in District IS today.
Many of the victimized militants arc
in desperate straits, lacking even
bread for the children. But the boss
must have his pound of flesh, and
it has evidently been decided to soak
the militants good and plenty.
Meantime, those Of the miners who
are working, are face to face with
the problem of what to do next. There
are local unions in two camps, Belle
vue and Blairmore; company unions
in two camps, Fernie and Michel.
Hillcrest and Coleman are without
organization of any kind whatsoever,
while at Corbin, British Columbia, the
agreement is between the company
and the G.. w. v. A.-and the presi.
dent is the mine superintendent.
Unless something is done in the i'm
mediate future to rally the men and
re-organize them on a class basis,
still another cut is well nigh inevi-
table. And with it will come condI.
tons rendering organization impos-
sible.
New Problems and Tasks.
The miners of District Is must
realize that the changed conditions
with which we are faced, make diff
ferent tactics and different slogans
absolutely necessary.
No wage cuts-not even digging the
coal for nothing-will avail in the
present situation, the only possible
solution of the problem confronting us
is naturalization OF the mines, work
ors' control, and production Of coal
for the consumer rather than for all
that the traffic will bear.
With naturalization as definite
aim and Canadian autonomy enabling
the miners to fight for its attainment,
the bitter lesson being learned just
now may yet be OF value to the minc
workers OF Canada.