The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-02-28

burst into fulsOme praise of the an
thracite contract accepted" by the
ratification" convention in Scranton,
as the greatest victory" ever achiev-
ed by labor organization in all la
Dor history, it would be we'll to ex-
anime few pertinent facts connect
ed with the victory" before we can
believe it is victory" at all.
Miners Make Demands.
The anthracite miners met in Tri-
District convention in Scranton in
June, 1926, and accepted the report
and recommendations of the appoint
ed scale committee as basis OF their
demands to the anthracite operators
at the expiration of the then existing
agreement. The demands, substantial
ly, were as follows:
1. A two-year contract with full
recognition of the union.
2. 10 per cent increase for contract
miners and 81 per day increase for all
day laborers.
3. Uniform and equal wages.
4. Payment of coal mined by the
tonnage system and abolition of the
system of payment by the car.
5. A uniform rate of 20 per cent
per inch for refuse work in all kinds
of mining up to ten feet wide.
6. Payment for all deadwork, such
as laying track, setting props and
timbers, ETC., and all tools TO be fur
nished the miners free Of charge by
the company, including jackhammers,
etc. ~
Z. Repair and erection Of new
houses to relieve the housing situa-
ton.
8. Equal division of work.
8. General Improvement of condi-
tons; cars loaded to be credited at
the working place; a five-day week;
consideration to miners who when
thru no fault of their own, are not
permitted to make a days wage or
work, drivers to receive consideration
for handling mules before and after
quitting time, seniority rights to all
and that rock stripping con-
tractors be brot under the terms of
the contract.
The Tri-District convention accept
ed these demands and entrusted their
scale committee to fight the operators
for them in order the demands would
be realized. The demand for full re-
cognition of the union is the demand
for the check-off. The demand for
the tonnage system if won would eli
inmate the robbing practice of the
bosses Of paying the miners by the
car.
After six months of pussyfooting,
the scale committee brings home the
Oacon." The battle is over and the
victory is won; shouts the red-baiting,
press of the anthracite field,
supplemented by the radio, the
churches and other agencies of the
bosses. Then we hear the terms of
the contract"
SelI-out is Complete.
A sell-out more complete and more
efficient is impossible. 1t is difficult
to realize the enormity of the be-
trayal of Lewis and his self-selected
scale committee"
Thru these long weary months the
strikers lines remained intact, not
scab on the job, ranks disciplined and
families in want and des-
titute, sticking with the determina-
ton to fight to a finish.
Since the start of the strike, how
ever, Lewis kept 10000 maintenance
men at work in the anthracite mines,
helping prolong the strike, doing work
which certainly comes under the
Of pure scabbery, keep
ing the bosses property safe and in
excellent condition during the period
Of the strike. Lewis and the opera
tors had an agreement to this effect.
The scab Agreement.
The scale committee came home
with the bacon" The following in
substance is what the bacon con-
sists Of in this instance, the results
" six months hunger and suffering:
1. A five-year agreement.
2. No increase in pay.
3. An agreement between the two
'or a reciprocal program of co-opera-
ion and efficiency, which is the es-
adjustment of B. G. o. plan in the
mines.
4. An arbitration clause cleverly ,
,hrased.
So this is the baconl No raise, no
better conditions, no check-off, moth
ng of benefit to us, nothing we de-
not an individual demand
granted, and each and all of the boss
IS demands granted
Tho the officials and the so-called
public" shout in glee over the fact
hey secured a five-year agreement
which they say means prosperity
and happiness for that length of time
this same five-year agreement will
whip the anthracite miners the very
same as the three-year Jacksonville
agreement smashed the bituminous
miners union.
Drives Minar. int clauo.,,