Evening star., 1939-05-04
Lewis Assures
Shutdown Of
Soft Coal Mines
10000 Miners to Be
Added to $4,000
Already Idle
BACKGROUND

Bitumirous coal operators and
union representatives, negotidt-
ing ne1o contract for miners. hare
been deadlocked since early IN
March ouer open shop and pen
atty clause issues. Compromise
agreement by operators is being
studied by the miners. Contract
expired April and $4,000
miners In eight-State Appa-
lachian area haze been idle since
that time, ,Dith an additional
100000 scheduled to cease ,Dork.
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May "A shutdown
of the Nations soft coal industry,
with some few exceptions, by mid
nigh tomorrow was assured today
by John L. Lewis, c. I. o. chief and
president of the United Mine Work.
ers of America.
Mr.. Lewis reported that the
unions 150-member Policy Com
mittee took no action to defer the
stoppage which he previously had
ordered.
Mr.. Lewis said 10000 miners
would be added to the 338, 900 who
have been idle since April /, when
the old contract with bituminous
operators in the Appalachian area
expired.
Mr.. Lewis statement followed &C
ton by the operators and miners
Negotiating Committee reporting
failure to agree on a new contract.
w. L. Bobison, chairman of the
Bituminous Miners and Operators
Negotiating Committee, announced
earlier that conferees had failed to
reach agreement on a new contract
for the soft coal industry and that
such disagreement would be reported
to the joint wage conference to-
morrow.
The disagreement, following eight
weeks Of negotiations, will be report
ed to the Appalachian conference,
composed of 300 representatives of
operators and U. M. w. miners at
2 pm. tomorrow, Mr.. Robson said.
The announcement by the chair
man indicated that the union had
refused to accept the last compro-
mise offered by the operators, whiot
called for exclusive bargaining rights
for the U. M. w. A. and an agree
ment by the union for a check-of
system under which non-union en-
ployes would pay the same dues to
tho Ia hrv. al ~
by the union members.
Breakup Is Dramatic.
The breakup Of the conference
came dramatically at the end of the
morning session, which was attended
by DR.. John Steelman, chief med:-
ator for the United States Labor De-
partment, and his aide, James F
Dewey.
The stalemate was reached only
few hours before the shutdown IN
the eight-State Appalachian area
was to be extended to outlying re-
gions under control of the United
Mine Workers Of America.
Mr.. Robison's announcement said:
This joint subcommittee has
failed on any matters referred to it
by the joint conference and has
now adjourned and will promptly
call the Appalachian Conference for
meeting at pm. tomorrow, at
which time it will report the dis
agreement"
Unless an anthracite contract
also is signed by Saturday midnight,
Mr.. Lewis has threatened to extend
the shutdown to the hard coal mines.
This action would throw 100000
more Northern Pennsylvania miners
out of work.
With only three days left before
the anthracite shutdown deadhne,
negotiators appeared deadlocked by
strong counter-demands from the
hard coal operators for wage cuts.
increase of the work week from 35
to 40 hours and inclusion OF q strike
rara1tv clause