Evening star., 1943-05-04
Ickes Orders 6-Duy
Week in Coal Mines
Overtime Paw
Owners Falling to
Comply Will Lose
Price Ceiling
BY the Associated Press.

Coal Administrator Ickes to-
day ordered sX-day week
throughout the coal mining in
dustry as work generally was re-
sumed after a weekend strike.
Time-and-a-half pay was pro-
vided for the sixth day.
The order was telegraphed to ap-
proximately $3.50 mine operators
now running their properties as
agents for the Government.
Mr.. 1ckes said mines failing to
operate six days weekly would suf-
fer cancellation of the price ceiling =
increases granted them by the Once
OF Price Administration to cover
the added costs of overtime pay.
Miners Back in Pits.
The Ickes order to mine opera
tors went out as the first day Of
a two-week temporary truce found
the miners busily digging the war
vital fuel, with Uncle Sam as their
new boss.
Mr.. Ickes later served notice that
the United Mine Workers wage
demands must be handled through
the War Labor Board, adding that
he lacked authority to negotiate a
contract.
In New York, UNIV President
John L. Lewis was asked for COM
ment on Mr. Ickes' six-day week
order, but refused to make any state.
ment.
w. w. 1nglis, chairman of the
Anthracite Operators Negotiating
Committee, commented, I'VE are al
ready offering the men the six
day week.
Mr.. Lewis last night declared his
order for the miners to return to
work, pending further negotiations,
old not mean retreat by the UNIV
When 1t agreed to the 15-day armi-
stlce-that the union still refused to
refer the case to the War Labor
Board.
In Pittsburgh, the order was
cheered by the steel industry and
UNIV officials, while coal operators
commented that it left their situa-
ton unchanged. A spokesman for
the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.
expressed belief that operators of
steel company owned captive mines
would like to run them even seven
days a week, if manpower were
available.
1ckes Issues Directive.
Mr.. 1ckes' directive said:
Since maximum prices have re.
Gently been increased by the Office
OF Price Administration to permit
operations of mines on a six-dav
work week basis you are to afford
miners an opportunity to work six
Gays each week and are to operate
mines under your charge on that
basis and to pay time and one-half
or rate and one-half for sixth day
OF work as heretofore agreed upon
by collective bargaining and previ-
ously cleared by War Labor Board.
The Government is relying upon
you and all miner employees to ex-
erciSe utmost effort in maintaining
and increasing production of coal so
vital to the winning of the war.
III for any justif1able physical or
operating reason six-day week
basis is not feasible, timely applica-
ton for exemption from this direc-
tive may be made together with full
supporting statement with underly-
ing reasons.
Il intend to recommend to the
Office of Price Administration that
the increase in maximum prices for
six-day week operation be rescinded
as to any mine which fails to comply
with this directive"
Agreements Changed in 1912.
Pursuant to request made by Mr..
1ckes September %, 1912, industry
wage agreements were changed to
permit the six-day week in order to
increase coal production for expand
Ing wartime needs.
The amended agreements provid-
ed for payment of time and one-half
or rate and one-half" for all work
in excess of IS hours weekly.
Those agreements became effec-
tive in January and February after
adjustments by OPA In maximum
prices to enable mine operators to
meet added costs for the work done
on the sixth day.
Mr.. Ickes estimates approximately
GOO, 100000 tons of bituminous, a
record figure, and about 65,000,000
| (Coo ~NAT poro o.