Evening star., 1941-11-12

confined to the captive coal mines
of the steel corporations in the
bituminous coal fields, has refused
to accept the Nation wide collective
bargaining agreement, including the
union shop. Several steel corpora
tionS such as the Jones IL Laughlln
Steel Corp. and the Inland Steel
Co. have accepted the uniform
union shop contract.
,C) In the captive coal mines
95 per cent OF the mine workers
are members of the United Mine
Workers of America.
Cd The industry wide collective
bargaining agreement which has
been accepted by the entire coal
industry, with the exception of the
captive coal mines. guarantees con-
tinuitv of production by the mine
workers without any Stoppages
until May l, l943.
Shipbuilding Case Cited.
The simple request Of the United
Mine Workers of America in this
case is that the steel corporations
owning and operating the captive
coal mines be requested to accept a
collective bargaining agreement
which has been accepted by the
Overwhelming portion Of the indus
try.
On June l8. 1e41, the National
Defense Mediation Board issued its
recommendation in case involv-
ing the shipbuilding industry on
the West Coast. and the Bethlehem
Steel Co In this case the facts
were as follows:
(A) A standard agreement had
been negotiated providing for uni
form wages and working conditions
in shipbuilding operators on the
Pacific Coast. One of the provisions
of this contract provided for closed
shop.
oBb The total number Of en-
ployes in the shipbuilding industry
on the West Coast was 10000. Ship
building employers embracing some
$4,000 employees, accepted the agree
ment.
,CD The balance of 5000 en-
ployes 30 per cent of the industry
were those of Bethlehem Steel Co.,
which refused to accept the master
agreement
Decision Quoted.
The National Defense Mediation
Board in that case decided the fol-
lowing:
The master agreement is the
product of industry wide collective
bargaining on regional basis. It
has been approved as an instrument
for stabilizing working conditions
and contributing to the uninter-
rupted production of ships by all the
shipbuilding employers on the Pa
cific Coas employing $4,000 workers.
except the Bethlehem Steel Co.,
which employs 5000, and by repre-
sentatives of the Bay City's Metal
Trades Council. certified by the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board as the
bargaining agency for the employees
of the Bethlehem Steel Co.
Under hese special circumstances
the board recommends that the
master agreement be accepted and
signed by the Bethlehem Steel Co
This recommendation by the Ma
tional Defense Mediation Board in
the Bethlehem Steel case was ap-
proved by the entire board. includ-
ing the representatives Of the Con-
eress of Industrial Organizations
and those of the American Fedora
ton of Labor. whose affiliated unions
were involved in the controversy.
The National Defense Mediation
Board. including the representatives
of the employers. the public, and of
the American Federation of Labor.
have now rejected the request of the
United Mine Workers of America
On the meris here is no basis for
distinguishing the captive coal case
from the Bethlehem Steel Co. case
Representatives of the public and
of the employers have offered no
argument in reason or logic to re-
flute the merits of the request of the
United Mine Workers of America
Obligat ton Not Discharged"
On the contrary, the representa-
tives of the American Federation OF
Labor, who made the motion in sup
port of the position Of the United
Mine Workers of America, stultified
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