Evening star., 1941-04-17
Lewis Asks Renewal
OF Farley With Coal
Operators in South
Northern Onwers, Union
Men Meet to Rutify
New Wage Contract
Ey thG Associated Press.

Ey thG Associated Press.
John L. Lewis, president of he
United Mine Workers of America &C.
I. o., in New York today announced
the union was willing to resume
wage negotiations with Southern
hituminous coal operators in an ef-
fort to reach an industry wide, ac-
cord and reopen the Nations para
lyzed soft coal mines.
Mr.. Lewis announcement came
as Northern operators of the eight
State Appalachian area and union
negotiators were formally ratifying
a new two-year wage contract de-
signed for the Nations soft coal
Industry as a whole. Southern OPP
orators had previously announced it
was unsatisfactory to them.
In a telegram to L. T. Putnam,
leader of Southern operators who
last week bolted the joint wage con-
ference. Mr.. Lewis proposed that the
union and the Southern operators
convene in New York tomorrow
morning for the purpose of negotiat-
ing a wage scale for mining areas
represented by yourself and your
associates.
The proposal, the union chieftain
added, was made at the request of
the Federal Government through DR..
John R. Steelman, chief Federal
conciliator.
Early Reply Requested.
Mr.. Lewis asked Mr.. Putnam to
advise him at once whether the
Southern operators would agree to
continue wage negotiations.
Meanwhile. Mr Lewis summoned
to an afternoon meeting the unions
Policy Committee to receive and
either approve or reject the wage
contract negotiated yesterday which,
t. was unoficialy reported, provided
for Sl-a-day increase in Northern
Appalachian mines and Sl.40 a day
increase in Southern bituminous
flelds-thuS stipulating basic S7-a-
day wage throughout the area.
The negotiatorS recessed until II
Am. tomorrow after giving the con-
tract a final check. 1t was ready
for signature and needed only the
approval of the union policy COM
mittee.
Meanwhile, DR.. Steelman said, the
conference was awaiting reply from
the Southern operators to Mr.. Lewis
proposal and expected to have it in
time to consider at tomorrow joint
session.
Work Return to Be Decided.
The unions policy committee, in
addition to considering the contract,
was expected to decide whether
miners in the Northern fields would
return to work, decision which may
hinge on the reply of the SoutheIr.
operators.
The Southern operators previously
had urged that the dispute. which
has kept most of the Nations mines
and 100000 miners-idle since
April /, be put before the National
Defense Mediation Board and had
said they would take no further part
in the Appalachian wage conference.
The Southern mine owners have
charged the Northerners' assent TO
the unions terms represented de
liberate frame-up" to impose the
contract on us" Some said they
could not stay in business if the
differential were eliminated.
The Defense Mediation Board ar
ranged conferences next Monday
on two strikes affecting defense pro-
duction. One called by A. F. L.
machinists has tied up $4,000 900 in
defense orders at SO firms in the
San Francisco area. Wages and
overtime pay were at issue there.
Tool Strike in Cleveland.
In the other case, C. I. o. United
Automobile Workers struck against
the Cowles Tool Co. at Cleveland
over wages and terms of a new
agreement.
Wages were among the principal
issues in other pending strikes: At
the Evinrude Motors plant. Milwau-
kee, and at the Monsanto Chem
ical Co, Monsanto, Ill.
c. l. o. strikes at the Buffalo,
N. Y, plant of American Car &
Foundry Co., and at the Birdsboro
Pa0 Steel Foundry & Machine
Works. we're called in attempts to
force collective bargaining elections.
Secretary of Labor Perkins certi-
fed the Birdsboro strike to the De-
fense Mediation Board today for
settlement. At the same time she
also certified to the board a strike
at the Arcadia Knitting Mills, Inc,
Allentown, Pa.
About 325 employees of the Ham
son-Whitney Machine Co. Hart
ford, Conn. were out in reaction to
discharge of an employe. Two thou
sand workers were idle after strike
at Appalachian Mills, Knoxville,
Tenn.