Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-07-18

L1lC CAl4bC0 AfAAAAC W "a NJ - a -
plete last week as the anthrac
behind the soft coal operator
contract which gave the uniol
asked for.
The anthracite agreement,
covering $4,000 hard coal
miners, was signed so swiftly
that the 30-day termination no
tice was not served and the
signing constituted a speed rec
ord in coal negotiations. 1t fol-
lowed by only a few hours the
surrender of the hold-out south
ern operators who earlier this
year swore that they would
never accede to the UMW's de-
mands for the health-and-wel-
fare fund, the wage increase,
and the Federal Mine Safety
Code.
The anthracite contract, which
brought all but small fraction
of the nations coal industry un-
der the new agreement, actually
improved on the soft coal pact.
Because the hard coal miners
work seven-hour day (con-
trasted with the eight-hour day
for soft-coal under the new
agreement) the wage raise will
carry a 10 to 15c greater hike
than in bituminous.
The UMW's victory was com
plete for more than $50 of the
entire industry.
Makes Hartley Squawk
The new contract caused
small furor in Congress, how
ever, as Rep. Fred Hartley (R.,
N. j. squawked that it violated
the new Taft-Hartley law and
that every coal operator who
signed it was liable for criminal
penalties. Hartley was flatly
contradicted by the co-author of
the law, Sen. Robert Taft (R,
Ohio) who saw no contradiction
between the agreement and his
anti-labor statute.
There were four basic points
in the new contract, which Will
now cover approximately 5OO,-
900 miners thruout the country:
IA 45c wage hike - almost
triple the 15c "pattern" set in
other major industries. 1.-Two
specific clauses giving the union
unprecedented protection against
Taft Hartley law penalties, J.
The 5c-a-ton royalty payment
by operators to the UNIV wei
fare fund will be doubled. q
The industry will be forced to-
accept the Federal Mine Safety
Code.
OF greatest interest to both
government and union officials
were the Taft Hartley provisions
which stipulated that the miners
will work only during such
time as they are able and will
ing to work" This and the
clause which provides that 1t
shall be a violation of the UNIV
contract for any operator to
take legal action against the
union will undoubtedly be used
as precedents by other unions
in negotiating new contracts.
To Ignore NLRB
Determined to ignore the
NLRB in future demands for
collective bargaining certifica-
tion and for processing of unfair
labor practices, most unions
were expected to press for Taft
Hartley contract clauses similar
to those in the UNIV agreement.
How the Taft Hartley law
backfired in terms of the new
law was summed up editorially
by the Chicago Sun which de
clared. there must be an
empty feeling in the hearts of
those members of Congress who
hoped TO humble John l.. Lewis
with the Taft Hartley Act. Lew
Is is only not humbled but he
has emerged as a more power
ful labor leader than ever
UNIV officials claimed that
the new contract represented a
package gain of SO. 54 a-day in
cluding one hour Of travel time
The previous Si18l2 hourly
was jumped TO S1.63. Continued
from the UMWs contract with
the government were the 500
anual vacation payments. dues
rheckoff and inclusion of fore 20
men who now belong to the
union.