Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-01
Fears Of Strike
Revived as Coal
Talks Collapse
Management Says
Union Turned Down
Raise of IS Cents
By james Y. Newton

Contract negotiations between
John l.. Lewis and most of the
soft coal industry broke down
yesterday, leaving Federal off,
Gals fearful of another strike
after the Government releases
control of the mines June 80.
In announcing collapse of negotia-
lions which had been going on for
two weeks, Northern end Western
operators, representing about rs per
cent of the soft coal industry,
revealed that the United Mine
Workers rejected management
offer of wage raise of is cents an
hour.
The operators said MIR. Lewis pay
demands were equivalent to IS cents
an hour, and that all of the union
proposals would add nearly a dollar
per ton to the cost of producing
coal. The base pay of the average
miner now is $1.18la an hour, but
his pay is higher than would be
supposed because of provisions for
overtime pay two hours each day
and on Saturday.
Lewis Refuses Comment.
Mr.. Lewis was silent after the
decision was made to break off
further negotiations at least at this
time. He refused comment on the
situation, leaving all of the talking
to the mine owners.
Wartime authority under which
the Government has operated the
mines for the past year expires June
80. The pits must be returned by
that time to the owners from whom
they were seized last May %, to
end 59-day strike.
Collapse of the coal talks was ex-
pected to have further repercus-
sions. 1t was held likely to affect
the decision President Truman must
make when Congress sends him the
general labor bill, probably this
week. Observers believe the Presi-
dent would hesitate to veto the
labor bill in the face of coal strike
threat.
Contract talks between the miners
and Southern operators, represents
ing about Is per cent of the industry,
are still alive, but there seems to be
little chance of the two reaching
agreement The next Southern
meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.
At Odds Over Other Issues.
Northern, captive" and Western
operators and Mr.. Lewis were far
apart on wages when the contract
conference dissolved shortly before
noon yesterday. Captive" mines
are ones operated by industries for
their own use. Most of them are
owned by steel companies.
There were differences over is
sues other than wages, but the ques-
ton of pay led to the breakdown
of the conference. The operators an
nounced the development at news
conference. Charles ONeill, repre-
senting Northern Appalachian coal
interests, spoke for the operators.
| The average miner now gets
$1.181a an hour in straight time
pay: S11.e5 for a nine-hour, portal
to portal day; $59.25 for the nine
hour a day five-day week and $75.25
when he works six days week.
! Operators offered Mr.. Lewis
/ $13312 cents an hour in straight
time pay; $1135 for an eight-hour
day; $56.75 for fve-day week of
eight hours a day or $72.77 for the
six-day week. The offer Is based
on shortening to the workday from
nine to eight hours.
Lewis Demands.
Mr.. Lewis demanded $685. cents
an hour in straight-time pay. He
insisted on the eight-hour portal-to-
portal day. This would have boosted
the miners pay despite the shorter
hours to $13.05 a day, or $65.25 for
the five-day and $8367 for the six
day week.
In addition, the miners asked for
a half-hour paid lunch period in
stead of the present 15-minute
| ICoo GOAT noro AAN