The Connecticut labor news., 1925-02-21
ROCKEFELLER 'fUNION'' SCHEME FAKE FRAUD, RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION
 REPORT PROVES
 ELLIS
 nted Mine Workers News
REPORT PROVES

-o of reductions in West Virginia, Penn. sylvania and some other eastern dis tricts which are tor the most part un- organized After the nationwide strike of 1922, the Colorado Fuel and Iron 1 Company restored to it's miners the union scale of the Central Competitive Field, which, as already noted, compri- ses Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, field thoroughly orga- nized. Thus, the company may shift its base in determining wages, and the guar antee in the representation plan to pay its employees competitors rates becomes an unsubstantial promise
 Again, discussing the question of whether employees representation as it is organized and administered by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company Is likely, without radical change, to win the adherence of the miners, the report says:
 Will 1t be regarded by them as pro. lection of their interests as adequate as that which they believe is afforded them by national trade union? The same question was raised when the men struck Ill 1919 and 1922 We have found that employees of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company join the union because they see in 1t their one guarantee for a security independent of the policy of any one company. The majority do not regard themselves as permanent em- ployes in one mine, and they know that conditions of employment established in one district have an immediate effect upon employment and wages in another district They regard themselves as miners in the bituminous coal industry, and although they are not ungrateful for the new policy of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company and its tangible man ifestations in good housing. they are ever alert to the call of their national organization to give show of strength in the organization throughout the country. Every time they respond in this way to strike call they demon strate their sense of dependence upon 1 1 the union to protect them by uniting miners together in the industry. They realize they need the protection of rep resentative outside the company which employs them, because they have dis covered that men employed in the com pany are impotent to protect themselve: or others The fear of losing a jor prevents man from opposing com pany which gives, and can take away his job."
 l The report sustains the contention oi the United Mine Workers of America that controversy over wages can no be equitably or justly settled by lndi vidual or district agreements, as wa: l demanded by, coal operators in 1922. ! can only be settled by national agree ment affecting the industry as whole
 Here is another interesting extrac from the report.
 If the partnership of labor IS, ln deed, to be the aim, then a substantia basis for partnership must be estab I lished The problem of establishing basi wage rates must be considered. Tn area of competition, which, accordingl to company officials, determines tn wages the company can pay, must D clearly defined, and representation o employees must be made real III dec1d ing the rates which must prevail III tn con-, tive area The need of the ma in the mines to have a direct means o bringing his grievances to managemeE
 IS, i'll a sense, local rather than ma portant that the miners should have thi local representation.
 "In the plan for employees represen tation, however, grievances must be ad
 justed either by company officials or b joint committee in which the miner | represented solely by fellow employees over whom, in the last analysis, the rep resentatives of management have tn
 power of discharge. If the question un
 der consideration be one in which man agement needs only clearer under standing of the wage-earners' point 0 view to enable 1t to reach just deci
 sion, the joint conference may be sui
 hcient protection, of the employees in terests.
 If, however, a decision satisfactor. to the wage earners requires some sac rihce by management or by stockholders then the problem is, how, without rep resentative independent of the particu
 lar company, and without treasur ,, wherewith to pay his salary, or othe expenses, can employees claim the sam q attention from management and board
 of directors that they can secur
 through the activities of union? Thi