Evening star., 1948-03-13
Coal
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NOQI
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to be done about our pension plan
or Well quit work"
The words were attributed to the
spokesman of the delegation by
William Blizzard, president of UNIV
District II. He said the group rep
resenting four or five locals in the
rich coal fields about Charleston
was waiting for him when he opened
the Office.
Mr.. Lewis indicated there would
be no formal warning to the Gov
ernment of the gravity of the pen-
sion dispute. The Taft-Hartley Act
requires so days notice to the Fed
eral Mediation and Cancellation
Service in event OF reopening or ter
mination of a contract. A reporter
asked Mr.. Lewis If he would so no
tlfy the Government.
do you mean the Taft-slave me-
diation service? No." he doomed.
Contract Signed Last July.
The soft coal contract, signed
last July 8, includes a clause that
the miners will continue to work as
long as they are liable and willing
The mine workers have been
willing these last eight months, "
Mr.. Lewis said. Now they ask
how long, how long will we have
to wait for the operators to full
fill their bond The point is we
have a bond-when do our peo-
pie get the ducats?"
The ""ducats" referred to the
miners welfare and pension fund,
which on March 8, according to
Mr.. Lewis, had reached a figure of
$29, ,494.032 The fund is tied up by
the dispute over pensions. It is
raised by levy Of 1o-eents per ton
on all coal mined. -
. MIR. Lewis, according to the oper-
ators, has demanded $100 monthly
pension for every miner over so
who has been in the pits 20 years or
more. They claim it would cost 40
cents per ton and if they agreed to
it they would be assuming liabil-
ity in a matter of years of about
81 900, 100000.
The union chief referred to the
figures as fantastic" indicating
the pensions could be paid out Of
the current fund. He charged that
the operators were against the idea
If the pension and said they had
failed to make him single counter
offer.
The operators, Mr.. Lewis said
continue to violate the contract
and count each day success when
they can prevent expenditure of this
money designed to alleviate human
misery in the coal industry"
The mine contract runs unit
Juy /, but it can be ended by
either the miners or employers or
80 days notice. Mr. Lewis indicated
that he may take care of the pen.
sion dispute before reopening the
whole contract on wages and othel
issues.
No Impartial" Trustee.
Provision is made for admins.
tration of the welfare fund by three
trustees. However, the impartial
trustee-Thomas Murray of New
York-resigned six weeks ago, &C.
cusing both the miners and oper.
ators of unreasonable attitudes ir
regard to the pension dispute. H.
has not been replaced. The othel
trustees are Mr.. Lewis and Ezrs
Van Horn, operators Representative.
from Cleveland.
At his news conference, Mr.. Levi!
made on appeal to the public t.
see to 1t that the "nMllionaire" op.
orators honor" their contract.
He warned that "a very grave sit.
uation exists" as a result of tht
dispute, one of great magnitude
so far as the economy of the coun'
try is concerned. He was vituperativl
in his criticism of the operators.
In Chicago, George F. Campbell
president of the Illinois Coal Opera
tors Association. retorted:
I'VE don't think we've violated
any obligations. The fund is there
1t is simply matter that shoult
be worked out by the trustees"
Proposes to Go Forward.
Mr.. Lewis said in his letter to tn
miners:
This Office proposes to go forwar,
in requiring the coal operators II
honor their agreement.
Your ears will soon be assaile,
by their outcries and walls of an
Iguish. To relieve themselves, the.
need only to comply with the provi
sions of the agreement which the.
solemnly executed in this Office OF
July 8, 1s47."
Joseph E. Moody, president of tn
Southern Coal Producers Associa
ton, called the statements in MI
Lewis letter unfair and uncalle,
for"
Watchful Wait in Mines.
eff this letter is an appeal 70
public support, why does he no
tell the public what his proposal
are?" Mr.. Moody asked.
Meanwhile, in West Virgins
where most of the soft coal Is mined
operators kept watchful wait. On
said the Lewis letter "looks bad.
Arthur Downing, president Of tn
Logan Operators Association, sale
, Il suppose he has set the ball roll
ing and there's no telling where
, will stop"
, j. J. Ardigo, secretary Of the vii
hanson Operators Association, de
elared: II didn't expect anythin
: to happen before June !. But that
Mr.. Lewis"