Montana labor news., 1939-08-24
BETWEEN
COMPANY AND (I0
UNIONS CONTINUE

the four CLIO unions continued nego-
tiations with the Anaconda Co. on
demands for increases in wages and
changes in working conditions which
were first presented on July II.
Discussion continued on the de-
mand for a 20 per cent increase in
wages which was left uncompleted
at the last meeting Of Aug. Z. Much
of the arguments on the wage propo-
sition was a repetition of the ground
covered on Aug. 7 with the Com
pany maintaining that their Mon
tana operations were kept going on
a narrow margin in the hope of a
better price for copper in the near
future.
These claims were again repeated
by the union representatives and
then the local demands of the miners
for an 8-hour collar-to-collar day
and mine committees were taken up.
The Company presented the familiar
claim that the 8-hour collar-to-collar
day would result in large increase
in operating costs. Only a little
simple arithmetic was necessary to
disprove this claim. The opposition
is solely because the change would
be a small but definite gain for the
Miners Union.
There was much argument over
the proposal for mine committees.
The amount of Company opposition
to this proposal indicates that the
Company thinks this system would
really bring about a more effective
and just settlement of many griev-
ances. Needless to say, a more
sensible and human working policy
would prevent many grievances from
arising in the first place.
After the demands of the Engineers
and Smelter Workers for vacations
with pay and seniority had been
presented and discussed, the repre-
~sentatives of the Miners informed
the Company that they wished to
submit some proposed changes in
the working of the contract system
in the Butte mines. These demands
have developed since the first meet
ing on July II and it was thought
best to get all the original demands
on the table first. These proposed
changes in the contract system were
submitted in written form this
morning Thursday and will be
threshed out before a final agree
ment is signed.
Mr.. Kelly stated for the Company
that they have yet to meet with the
Electricians. He said further that
some of the local officials were at
tending the mining congress in Salt
Lake City next week. He said the
Company would study all the de-
mands presented so far and get a
decision from the higher officials,
chief of whom is Mr.. c. F. Kelly.
It is expected that the unions will
either get a definite reply from the
Company early in September or will
be asked to meet for further nego-
tiations.
Employees and the public are adj
vised that positively nc offer has
yet been made by the Company.
There is no way to push negotiations
any faster than has been done by the
committee and no way to compel an
earlier answer from the Company.
Therefore, everyone should calmly
await the outcome and ignore all
rumors.
Following is committee:
Members of Negotiations Committee
Butte Miners Union: Ed Mason,
William Mason, Bob Brown, Denis
Mccarthy, Donald Mundy, Glen
Zorn, Wilfred Plummer, William
Tonkin and Harry Baird.
Butte Hosting Engineers: Patrick
Deloughery, Thomas Brown, James
Combo, Amos Blair, Mike McGarry,
Harold Trescothick and John ]. Con-
nally.
Anaconda Smeltermen: P. ]. Nc
Carthy, John Emmons, P. J.. McDon-
aid.
Great Falls Smeltermen: John
Clarke, John Epperson, Phil Herbert,
Pete Fontana, Mike Shanahan and
Covdop nia1