The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-27
WESTERN MINERS
in new STRIKES
ccOnslnued from Page ~

ment un0er which Alabama com.
navclal and captive mines have
been operating since the contract
expired April I and which would
have kept the mines IN operation
aefnite action OF the other groups
New York, April .2I:-tUP)-preSis
dent John L. Lewis Of the United
Mine workers meets with his IN.
ternatlonal policy committee today
20 decide what action 10000 SOFT
zeal miners shall take II their con-
tract controversy with the Appaia..
chan bituminous operators u not
settled BY Friday midnight.
The policy committee meeting
was called from 2 p. "A, OF the
Roosevelt Hotel, which has been
the UMW's headquarters since the
wage negotiations began. Lewis has
promised q statement after the
meeting, but there was no way OF
determining the hour OF adjourn.
meat.
Pifteen thousand Of tho miners
already walked out, but X, @. Adams
Lewis press spokesman, said the
group would not call for strike
vota and that no strike prepare.
tions were being made. HO indi-
cated that the committee would for
naliy record the fact that the In.
dustTy will he without . contract
when the present extension agree.
ment expires May ], leaving the
makknr Of Rkrika action un TO the
union locals.
Lewis, however, has stated that
his miners will refuse 10 enter the
otis q not covered BY q contract.
The labor leader did not comment
On The War Labor Boards appeal
20 terminate the scattered strikes
b p0nnsyivania, Alabama and Ken.
lucky.
Lewis, who has turned down oil
previous invitations by the WLB 70
participate In settlement Of the dis.
pute, said he had mot been I'd
vlsed' Of the latest appeal.
X know nothing about II 80.
therefore, have no comment 10
make" no said.
The appeal from the WLB IN
washington was sent 10 Lewis, UNIV
Secretary Treasurer Thomas Ken.
nedy and TO three district leaders
last night. It said:
I'VE call upon YOU Oh O leader Of
your union 10 urge the workers TO
return TO their Jobs Immediately un.
der the plan ~ suggested by the
President (for peaceful settlement
Of disputes) and ordered by the
board 90 that o nation OF war may
have maximum production not only
a the coal fields but In countless
related war industries which are
10 vitality dependent on their con.
tinued operation. We feel sure the
workers are In full agreement with
10 that oil the people Of our couns
try are Allied with o grim determ.
anation 10 supply tho men at the
fighting front with oil materials
that are needed 10 win the war"
The board requested o reply.
Lewis previously refused TO name
Q UNIV representative 10 sit on O
WLB arbitration panel selected 10
aFbitrate the dispute. The board
then named David B. Robertson,
Cleveland, president OF the Brother.
hood Of Locomotive Firemen and
Mnglnemen Oh the labor repreSen.
tatIve. Morris Llewellyn Cooke,
Chestnut Hill, Pa q management
engineer, was named public NOM
Der and Walter White Of the De-
paFtment Of Commerce the employer
member.
Most Of the scattered strikes were
IN Pennsylvania. Two OF the walk
outs in captive mines operated by
steel companies, were settled last
night, but workers IN two others
voted 70 walk out. keeping O total
Of 10000 miners Idle In II fields
the settlements followed IN appeal
from the operators that the walk
outs might hinder further contract
negotiations and came before tho
WLB request.
IN Alabama, 1900 miners IN seven
fields quit work after the UNIV IN.