The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-09-11
Bv V. KENIENOVICH.


(DiSt. Sec. Western Penna Dist of the N.MUJ
prHE Western Pennsylvania District Board of
the National Miners Union, at its meeting
Remember 9Th, reviewed the situation in the
district The following main points were
brought forward:
THAT conditions in every mine are Wors-
ened daily. Everywhere indirect wage-cuts are
taking place. Mass lay-offs are used by all the
coal companies to beat the miners into submls-
sion. Mines are shutting down. credit in the
connnanv stores is cut off; one dollar day
scrip system has been established Dirty coal
penalties are more sharp and numerous. Out
side Cnliners who do not live in company
houses are forced to either move into the COM
pany houses, pay high rents, or be discharged
Idle day work, by which the miners are forced
to labor additionally without any pay, is IN
creasing New forms of speed-up on the con-
vevors and loading machines is introduced. New
grading" of men on the Conveyors and wage
cuts by this method is used. More coal is stolen
from miners in every mine
Some concrete examples: The Vesta Coal Co.
laid off all outside men and is laying OFF the
single men. Mines are working hours day,
2 DAYS a week Miners are laid off for dirty
coal from days to SO years.
The Fillman Coal laid off 240 men at the
Edna No. 2 mine. Three men we're killed by
large fall of rock in Barking Mine, leaving three
widows and II orphans.
The Pittsburgh Coal Co., largest in the district,
Is LAYING off men by the thousands. In Mon
tour No. 10, out of the 14OO men working two
weeks ago, only 900 are left in the mine. This
company opened two large mines when the
strike was at its peak, promising the miners
steady work at good wages. Now through
grading" of men on Conveyors a wage cut Of
from to cents a ton is being introduced.
The Pittsburgh Terminal, which signed
u. M. w. A. agreement in order to break the
solid strike front, shut down its Mine No. Up.
& W.. However the real purpose behind this
is a wage-cut, as the company sent its stool
pigeons to the men promising them steady work
at 38 cents a ton and $3.50 day over the pres
ent scale of As cents a ton and $3.50 day.
There are daily rurnors of wage cuts in the
mines of H c. Prick Coal and Coke, and the
National Mining, both subsidiaries Of the U. S.
Steel and both paying a high scale Of Sc a day.
In all mines there are the ruraors of wage cuts,
spread by the company in order to prepare the
miners for them.
2-Reports of all the Board members (25 were
present. brought forward the fact that the over
wheIning majority Of the miners who returned
to work are with the National Miners Union.
meeting called by simply passing the word,
brought over 100 men from the mine. In this
mine Msey have q. NJ w A agreement. In
anothe@ mine the miners have been coming to
the N. NJ U. soup kitchen in such a large
number that although the bosses made house
toulouse canvass threatening to discharge any
visiting our Colony Nevertheless they did not
dare to carry it out, as it would have meant an
immediate strike In mines where we lost con-
tact after the return of the men to work. we are
reviving these locals with an ease never before
ti00a1 work n
union. In one mine $50 men joined our union
despite the fact that they have the U. M. w. A.
In all the mines the men who returned to work
are distributing our leaflets inside the mines.
The Vesta Coal after one of these distributions
inside the mine, made house-to-house canvass,
threatening to discharge the miners, also de-
manding from all loyal" miners to report any
one distributing red" literature. They have ad-
ditional Coal and Iron deputies, and in one in
stance, this not being sufficient, borrowed"
some thugs from H. c. Prick to keep the miners
from coming to our meeting.
Many of the companies have established depu-
ties right in the mines. Any miner leaving his
working plsce is watched, and unless he has
good reason for leaving the place he is driven
Aack. Practically in all mines men are searched
daily. All this shows best the possibilities of
organizing these men, bringing them back into
Abe N M. U. and preparing them for broader and
bigger struggles. Also, all this searching and
Threatening shows the men the strength of the
N. M U. and makes them more determined to
lupport its program.
3.-This favorable situation, however, has not
been utilized sufficiently. In too many instances
our local leadership, not understanding fully
The differences between a revolutionary and
reactionary union, follow the A. F. of L.-U. M.
w. A. theory that these miners are scabs. They
hat +E,s~ ~A.iT-1 1ooO
br 1927 strike. They forget that these miners
Md not return willingly, but were driven back
by hunger terror, lack of relief and strong N.
M. U. local leadership previous to the strike
There is sort of common saying: Let them
get their bellies full of starvation; then they
will come out on strike themselves" Due to
this 30 men who wanted to join the N. M U. in
mine were told that they could not join I'M