Evening star., 1945-03-16
Miners Offered
Pay Raise Of
'28c Per Day
Operators Reject
II Lewis Demands,
Including Royalty
By the Associated Press.

by the AssOCidLeQ fresS.
Bituminous coal operators
handed John L. Lewis their
counterproposals for new con-
tract today. They were estimated
to net the average miner an in
crease of $169 a week or about
% cents day.
The mine workers president gave
no indication of his reaction to the
counterproposals.
Mr.. Lewis 18 demands were esti.
mated by the operators to amount
to $3.33 a day and add So cents to
the cost of mining ton of coal.
Mr.. Lewis figured the added ton
mage cost at Is cents.
The operators rejected IL of Mr..
Lewis demands and made counter
offers on 6.
The principal demand rejected
was for a l0-cent-a-ton royalty,
estimated to net the union s60,000,-
900 year.
Reject Free Explosives.
The operators suggested adopting
the Illinois plan for re-employing
veterans, which altered the miners
proposal on that demand only
slightly. The Illinois plan is SIM
liar to re-employment provisions OF
the National Selective Service Act.
Other mine workers demands re-
jected were;
Free explosives and accessories,
which the operators said would IN
crease the earnings of only one class
of employees and thereby create in
equity between this class and all
other classes of employee" They
referred to tonnage and piece
workers.
Inclusion of all but one foreman
at each mine in the class of mine
workers." on the grounds that 1t
would not be appropriate for super
visors ito be subject to discipline by
union which is controlled directly
or indirectly by the men whom they
supervise"
Housing Outside Farley.
/ Elimination of the geographical
differentials, which the operators
said were of long standing.
That the operators furnish only
union made tools and explosives.
improvement by both the union
land the operators of substandard
housing conditions and sanitary IA
cilities The operators said these is
. sues could not be discussed intelli-
gently or decided in national wage
conference"
Free hats, goggles, shoes and boots.
The operators said the War Labor
Board previously had ruled that such
! articles should be furnished by the
miners.
), The right of appeal by an ag-
grieved mine worker from a day
wage classification to face or tom
mage work. The operators opposed
this on the ground that manage
|. ment is solely responsible for direc-
ton OF the working force.
Offer Termination Plan.
The Lewis demand dealing with
impurities, pay for six holidays,
elimination of the requirement of a
physical examination and laying Of
track. all grouped under one de-
, mand, were rejected as a group.
The demand to permit miners to
; strike rather than ship coal to a
strikebound plant or consumer. The
!. operators said their contract with
: the UNIV was made to work mines,
, not to strike them"
Later, one operator said the own
ers orally rejected in today's meet
ing demand that would have
amended present agreements to per-
, NIT joint union management ap-
peal to higher tribunals" in dis
, putes.
| l. The termination of contract:
Mr. Lewis asked for termination on
| 20 days written notice. The OPP
( orators proposed two-year pact,
with provision for reopening at the
end of one year and on go days
, written notice thereafter.
2. Shift differentials: Mr.. Lewis
asked 10 cents and Is cents an hour
more for the second and third shifts.
The operators proposed 4 cents and
2