Evening star., 1943-03-25
Mine Contract Par|ey
Progressing, Lewis
Informs Roosevelt
Assoils Southern Group
For Rejecting PIon to
Extend Negotiations
By he Associated Press.


NEW YORK. March 29.-John l..
Lewis, international president of the
United Mine Workers. has advised
President Roosevelt that progress is
being made in negotiations for a new
contract to cover approximately
100000 bltuminous miners.
This announcement BY the miners
chleftan came yesterday at a press
conference as partial coal production
in the Appalachian soft-coal fields
was assured for 30 days after March
81, termination date of the present
contract.
Northern operators announced
they had accepted the UNIV pro-
posal to extend wage negotiations to
80 days after expiration of the cur
rent agreement.
Their lead, however, was not fol-
lowed by Southern operators. who
rejected the unions proposal and
countered by asking that negotia-
tlons and work continue on re-
troactive basis regardless of how
long it takes to draft new contract
They pointed out that President
Roosevelt's message to continue ne
gotiations without production stop
page contained no time provision.
Southern Group Criticized.
Informed of the Southern op-
orators stand, Mr.. Lewis declared:
Their position is untenable and
they can't sustain it. Further con-
sideration on their part will make
them change their mind"
He declared that much of the
Southern Appalachian tonnage was
owned by Northern operators, and
added that the Northern operators.
having reached an agreement to
continue production in some of their
mines, would not want others to
shut down.
Mr.. Lewis did not reveal the text
of his message to the President other
than to say that in substance it
notified the President that progress
was being made.
Meanwhile. the unions Policy
Committee of more than 200 ad-
iourned its sessions subject to call
and the members went home-an
action interpreted in some quarters
as indicating no work stoppage was
imminent.
The Policy Committee, Mr.. Lewis
said, has approved the agreement
reached with the Northern opera
ators which carries clause making
adjustments in any new contract
retroactive to April /.
Major demands of the union in
clude $2-a-day wage increase, an
So daily minimum and unionization
of supervisory employees below the
rank of superintendent. No an
nouncement has been made thus far
of agreement between the operators
and miners on any of these points. |
O'Leary and Burke Clash.
The prospect of a work stoppage
developed early in the conference I
when Mr.. Lewis asserted that the
miners would stay out of the mines
on April ] if they were not covered |
by new contract by that date.
A heated exchange occurred yes
terday between John OLeary, vice |
president of the UNIV, and former
Senator Edward r. Burke. president
of the Southern Coal Producers
Association, over the Southern /
operators refusal to agree to a time
limit for extending the negotiations.
During joint press conference Mr..
OLeary declared:
THE operators proposal would
destroy collective bargaining and it
has no terminal facilities
That is not SO" Mr.. Burke an
swered. THE operators proposal
does not destroy collective bargain
ing. 1t merely means that negotia-
tions would continue until the issue
Is finally resolved, as suggested by
President Roosevelt"
Mr.. OLeary replied that 'it means
that Mr.. Burke wants to get this
down to Washington as he has been |
wanting for the past two weeks"