Evening star., 1948-07-11
NeUtOn
(rontinued From Page CID

peace which has descended on most
of the coal industry may be upset
If 1t is decided by the NLRB and
the courts that the contract Mr.
Lewis has been trying to persuade
steel to sign is an illegal one, then
it will be officially clear that the
commercial operators agreement Is
illegal. An attempt by the larger
owners group to change its contract
could envelop the entire industry Is
strife and strike once more.
The difference between the dispu-
tants would seem to be of molehlll
proportions, but they are being
magnified to the point where they
may be very difficult to resolve. The
miners have a long habit Of not
working without a contract.
The contract negotiated largely
by Big Steel a year ago may not
have violated the letter of the Taft
Hartley Act in any respect, but it
did contain a number of hedges
designed to protect the UNIV from
actions that might have been taken
under the act. For example, that
contract stated, and 1t Is carried
over into the new one, that the
miners would work when willing
and able" 1t is designed to pro-
tect the union from employer dam
age suits resulting from possible
illegal strikes.
There was another provision, to
which the steel industry agreed,
which stated that grievances and
differences of opinion resulting from
or working Of the
contract would be settled within the
and not in court.
There are several reasons why
the steel industry which eagerly met
Mr.. Lewis demand year ago as
sumed a go-slowly approach this
time.
Big Steel was widely criticized
by coal operators and others when
1t jumped in and negotiated the
agreement that wound up being the
1947 contract for the entire coal
industry.
The mine owners said the steel
officials were novices at doing busi-
ness with Mr.. Lewis, and that he
had taken them for their shirt.
What concerned the commercial
interests most was their shirt weent,
too. They could have made much
better deal with the belligerent
union leader If left alone. For ex-
ample, the operators said Mr.. Lewis
had agreed to accept 7la cents per
ton on the union welfare fund
when Big Steel leaped in and Of
fered him 10 cents.
Then, a year ago, the steel indus
try already had given its half
million mill workers and others
members OF the CIO-a pattern
wage increase. They were not wor-
ried in giving the mine workers
something more.
However, several months ago, the
steel producers resolved not to give
the CIO Union Steelworkers 194S
pay raise. They so informed the
union, at the same time announc-
ing a slight reduction in steel prices.
They were carrying out hold-the-
line policy.
Steel could afford to say mo" to
the CIO since that particular con-
tract had another year to run, al
though it did provide for the re-
opening of discussions about wage
rates. It contained a clause stating
that the union would not strike
during the life of the agreement.
So steel, naturally, was not very
anxious to raise the wages OF the
after refusing the
steelworkers. Certainly, they were
not in the position to take the lead
in drafting a new contract as they
did last year.
However, the steelmakers have
agreed to raise the miners pay, al
though they did so reluctantly.
Now it is admitted in the industry
that they will have to come through
with an increase to the half million
CIO members.
And, industry sources also declare
that any pay hike to the workers
will have to be followed by another
steel price increase. All OF that, II
is feared, will lead to the most active
and general infiationary spiral In
over a year. It will hike the prices
OF almost everything the consumer