Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-02
Miners


Miners
Continued From First Page.)
to obtain increases of from 5 to As
per cent in the price of food in the
company stores in West Virginia.
Kentucky and other Southern
States. He said this was done by re-
moving the stores from a lower
profit bracket to the group where
the highest retail profit margins are
allowed.
| He said there was no evidence to
indicate that such higher prices will
not be extended to other coal COM
panies' stores and retail establish
ments in mining communities. Mr..
Lewis added that the higher prices
were like blow in the face to the
mine workers and that they were
not given hearing in the matter.
This is merely symbolic of what
is occurring in American industry
under present conditions" he said.
All of it means that the investors
OF the country are getting the take
home money, and the workers are
not getting much to take home And
lif they do take it home, they don't
have it very long"
Mr.. Lewis decried what he de-
scribed as the hostile reaction of
mine operators to his new contract
proposals and particularly to his
request for royalty of 10 cents
ton
He defended the royalty idea and
expressed determination. of the mine
workers to have it written into their
new contract. He said the plan
would not cost operators "a single
solitary cent" because they would
write off most of it from taxes and
t'pass along to the public" the rest.
The operators charged that an
other Lewis demand which would
prohibit shipment of coal to any
consumer involved in legal strike"
would make the mine leader a
labor car"
Mr.. Lewis will be answered later
by Charles O'Neill, Altoona, Pa,
head OF one OF the six big opera
tors associations represented at the
conference at the Shoreham Hotel
On Monday miners and operators
will begin closed negotiating ses-
sions in an effort to work out a
contract to replace the current wage
agreement which expires March 81.
Is New Demands Made.
The operators still were seeking
to arrive at the monetary value
of the 10 new contract demands
presented late yesterday by Mr.
Lewis Mr.. O'Neill said Il counted
up to 50 day per miner and quit"
He added that wage demands of
the miners would run much higher
than that" A UNIV spokesman
said the miners were asking for
only about s160 more per day for
each miner.
A statement of the operators
charged that Mr. Lewis. under his
plan for payment of royalty" for
each ton Of coal. Hwould be in a
position to dispose of this sum po-
litically and otherwise under the
clause calling for its use for eco
nomic protection" They estimated
the payment would aggregate be-
tween $50.000O00 and 100000 900 a
year, and said the cost would have
to be borne by the consumer.
Operators objected to other pro-
posals of their workers. including
one providing for only one nom
union supervisor and mine foreman
in each mine All other supervisory
workers would be classed as min
ers' and required to join the UNIV.
Mr.. Lewis argued that without this
protection the operators could cut
into his membership by classifying
any number of men as foremen.
Mr.. Lewis. through this item,"
the operators said, could gather
into his fold approximately $4,000
supervisors and thus infringe on the
normal >prerogatives of manage
ment."
35-Hour Week Sought.
Other major demands of the
miners were:
l. Return to the 7-hour day, 35-
hour week. with overtime for all
other productive and underground
travel time. Miners now spend 9
hours a day in the mines, with Is
minutes without pay for lunch, and
a total 54-hour week Overtime now
starts after the eighth productive
hour each day and the 10th produce
tive hour in one week An allowance
of so cents day is given for travel
time, representing payment of about
/ two thirds the dollar an hour
straight time rate.
/ The miners spokesman estimated
this feature would bring workers an
average of dollar a day more pay.
Operators said it would give them
much more.
4 2. Six holidays off with pay.
4 g. "A contract with no fixed termi-
nation date, with either party re-
tanning right to terminate the
agreement on 20 days written no.
ltice. Mr.. Lewis said in a sarcastic
tone that this provision should "ac-
tcommodate the operators who he
lcharged wanted to cut pay as soon
as war conditions change.
4. All explosives, tools and other
equipment to be furnished by the
/ operators. Miners paid on 4 ton.
mage basis get free tools and ex-
plosives in the present contract