Evening star., 1946-11-06
Coal Mines Report
Back .to-Work Trend /;
Talks Are Resuued
By james Y. Newton

Inc Government tOQay reported
4 strong back-to-work movement
among soft coal miners of Southern
West Virginia and Kentucky who
had gone on strike as conferences
between the United Mine Workers
and the Government opened here
Ast Friday.
!; The Interior Departments Solid
Fuels Administration said early re-
ports indicated only Is mines and
5000 miners were idle today over
the country All the closed mines
we're in the West Virginia Eastern
Kentucky area.
! Federal officials said that yester.
day, largely due to the election, 95t
mines and 105 900 miners were idle
This reduced national production oi
coal for the day to II per cent oi
normal. On Monday, about 8,20(
miners were off the job. This was
attributed to unrest among the
workers caused by the contract ne
gotiations here.
Conferences Resumed.
Meanwhile, Navy Capt. N. II. Col
l1isson, Federal coal mines admins
traitor, resumed the contract con.
ferences with the United Mine
! Workers after recess over elec.
/ ton day. John L. Lewis once more
stayed away from the meeting. but
was represented by other officials OF
the 100000 soft coal miners organi-
cation.
The meeting lasted an hour and
a half and adjourned until this
afternoon.
Secretary OF Interior Krug was
expected to return from his West
ern trip probably tomorrow. He
will assume chief responsibility of
dealing with Mr. Lewis. who SO far
has not put in personal appear
ance at the meetings.
Mr.. Lewis has set, November 20
for possible voidance of the agree
ment under which the Government
has operated the seized soft coal pits
since last May. Barring satisfactory
settlement of Mr.. Lewis So far un-
specified demands, the miners are
expected to serve notice November
Is of cancellation of the wage con-
tract five days later In sthat event
there almost certainly will be a
strike.
Talks on Foremen Tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the National Labor
Relations Board called for final
arguments tomorrow on the union
ization of supervisory workers at
four Western Pennsylvania mines
of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.
The issue of the foremen's union
has been the chief stumbling block
to acceptance by private operators
of the Governments contract with
Mr.. Lewis and release of the pits
from Federal control.
The NLRB hearing Is another step
In a plan to appeal the issue to the
Supreme Court.
Mr.. Lewis has demanded that his
union be recognized as, bargaining
agent for mine supervisors and fore
men. His contract with the Gov
ernment agrees to follow NLRB
procedures in the matter. Mr.. Lewis
union won their first bargaining
elections at the four Jones 81 Laugh
lin mines.
Case Returns to Board.
NLRB already has ruled once that
the mine workers union could rep
resent the 1856 supervisors involved.
The company baked and unsuccess-
fully sought an injunction in Dis
trict Court here to prevent the
Government from entering into
with the supervisors. They refused
TO put the NLRB order into effect.
Ia trial examiner in Pittsburgh
upheld the earlier NLRB ruling, and
the case now returns to the board
for final determination. That step
Is necessary before further appeal
to the courts. st j.
The private operators, on the
sidelines while the Government and
Mr.. Lewis argue over higher wages,
contend the supervisors are part of
management and should not be
unionized.