The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-05-12

L IG IlNG-y year agreement 6ApllSS
August 81. Our main task now is
to prepare for a strike on Septem-
Der l, as part of a national strike
in the bituminous coal fields and
the metal mining industry, by the
setting up of rank and file COM
mittees of action in every mine and
through the exposure of the Lewis
machine of the United Mine Work
ers of America, by means of max
ing known their numberless acts of
betrayal of the interests of the
miners, and constant struggle
against these betrayals. Organize
the miners for the coming strike
and the building of the only mill
tant union of the mine workers
the National Miners Union, affili-
ated to the Trade Union Unity
League.
Crisis In Mining Industry.
The entire mining industry, both
coal and metal, is in a crisis in the
United States and in every other
country. The anthracite coal OPP
orators, like the mine owners
throughout the country and through
out the world, are trying to make
the mine workers bear the whole
burden of this crisis. The U. M. W.
of A, controlled by Lewis in the
anthracite, is an agency of the coal
operators and has no other func-
ton than to help the coal operators
make bigger profits at the expense
of the mine workers.
harrington owat- Corner
Peabody.
In the Illinois coal fields, the U,
NJ. W. of A., controlled by the Pea
body Coal Co., and headed by a
clique of Peabody Coal Co. stool
pigeons with a self-confessed, $685.
900 per year stool pigeon, Earring
ton, as their leader, numbering
among others, Howat, Germer, Fish
wick, Walker, Hapgood, ETC., carry
on the same betrayals of the soft
coal miners as Lewis does in the
anthracite fields. The only differ
ence is that the Illinois gang of the
U. M. W. of A, because of the ex-
posure of harrington as a Peabody
Coal agent, tries to fool the miners
by making a pretense of opposition
to Lewis and using a few radical"
phrases.
The so-called unions, headed by
these agents Of the coal operators,
are nothing but company unions
instruments used by the operators
to add to their bank rolls at the
expense of the mine workers.
The only union that organizes and
leads the mine workers in all Sec
tons of the industry is the Ma
tional Miners Union-based on pit
and mine committees-and con-
trolled by the rank and file.
The U. NJ. w. A. Sell Out.
The five-year agreement signed
by Lewis in 1926 was really a SELL
out of the miners. 1t was a victory
for the coal operators. During the
life of this agreement the coal OPP
orators have made huge profits.
The miners have been handed wage
cuts, have been speeded up, unem-
ployment has increased, accidents
have increased, hours have been
heightened, conditions have become
worse generally and the U. M. W..
of A. itself, led by Lewis, has passed
completely into the control of the
coal operators.
UnbSarabIe Conditions.
Working and living conditions in
the anthracite field are worse than
at any time since the world war.
The mine workers get less in wages.
Every miner knows that whole
series of wage cuts have been put
across by the coal companies
through various methods. Payment
for dead work has practically been
abolished. Payment per car loaded
has been reduced in most instances
by about so per cent. Tonnage
rates have been decreased. Yard
age prices have been cut, and in
many mines, the yardage basis has
been abolished entirely. Considera-
ton time is practically non-exist-
ent. Miners have to pay for their
own tools and pay for air for the
Jack-hammers. Dockage for dirty
coal' increases constantly.
Wage Cuts and Speed Up.
In one year alone-192S-the an
thracite mine workers wages were
reduced by $16,29S,0O0, as against
1927. The decrease in 1929 was still
greater.
The speed-up system daily saps
the life and energy of the mine
workers. Coal production increases
constantly at the expense Of the life,
limbs and health of the miners.