The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-09
Newmont Men Ready to
Strike, Held Back
by Labor Board
Nevada City. California.
May 26th, 1884.
BY a Worker Correspondent

ny = WORKER GoTTeSQ 0n0e0L
NEVADA CITY. Calf. - out Of
the 10000 gold miners of California
the first steps have been taken to-
wards organization and the i'm
provement Of wages and working
conditions.
Since the establishment last
summer Of the S35 an ounce gold
price, above the old s20.57- price,
the gold miners have eagerly waited
on their share of increasing pros
perity."
The Grass Valley-Nevada City
district being practically the heart
Of the industry adjustments were
looked for first, at this point.
The Newmont Company with
Wall Street connections. and domi-
nant in this field, having enjoyed
the fruits and profits Of an incress-
ing speed-up and the rs per cent
increase in gold price; very "gener-
ou5ly" save its employees a $50
bonus for Xmas. But I'll did not
get this for it was conditioned on
your period of employment. The
Acknowledgment mine, rich in
dependant producer. gave the work
ers a IS Xmas present.
Present Demands
But this bride to the docility of
the workers was not sufficient. An
increasing rebelhous mood was
manifesting amongst the workers.
Lacking aff1hation with any Union
the majority Of the miners were
Influenced, and some coerced.
into joining locel organization
called the Grass Valley Miners Pro-
tective League The League has
not had any economic power for
some years. especially since the
NeWmont Corporation had been
built. In fact, the reluctance of
many of the old Western Fedora
ton of Miners to Join it lay in their
belief that it was a company Union.
Present Demands
With the influx of new members
the past few months the League
has grown to about 1000 members.
Under pressure from the workers
large meetings were held and COM
mittees appointed to present de-
mands upon the companies. The
demands as finally submitted called
for a daily wage increase of $3.50. |
An eight hour day from collar to
collar and the 40 hour week. This
wage increase would mean roughly. |
about 81 day, or S35 week. Put
another way, 25 per cent increase
rs compared to the IS per cent in
crease that the bosses were getting
since last summer.
Again, another pacific bride was
given the workers consisting of the |
aforementioned $50 bonus, gradu-
ated dOwnwards on the period of
employment. This is important. as
due to the terrific speed-up there
has been great turnover of work
ers in some of the properties. The
Murchie Mine in particular.
Sunday, May 18th, a mass meet
ing Of the workers was called for
what most of the men understood. |
the taking of a strike vote. Pre-
ceding this meeting the local press
was flooded with hypocritical |
by a boss editor to
sabotage the demands of the men.
In addition, the Newmont Company
lyingly stated that they would be
willing to shut the mines down and
wait upon the settlement of indus
trial relations by Government agen-
cies. They know the break
ing powers of the N. r. A. ma
if the need should demand
it.
Labor Board Prevents Action
With an over flow meeting of 300
members hardly under way another
boss trick was pulled. Appearing
one Calkins, member of
The San Francisco Regional Labor
Board, was given the floor by the
League President, Howett. An
that he had just come
from conference with mine
Nobs, Kervin and Mac
Boyle; he proceeded to give out
5he usual line of demagogy for
checking strike action. Ernrhasiz-