Evening star., 1948-03-21

efore 1t is resolved finally. let's have
the vantage point of the door which
/.
that this Nationwide walkout may
A majer point Of controversy In
wolves Mr.. Lewis insistence that all
members of his union in good stand
ing should be eligible for pensions.
The operators are equally adamant
that the eligibles be confined to the
UNIV members who are employed
by employers who signed the present
contract.
In explaining their stand, the
operators say there are thousands
of UNIV members working for Arms
which have never signed the con-
tract. hence they are not kicking
into the welfare fund. These gen.
orally are small outfits which the
union, for one reason or another,
never got to sign on the dotted line.
Also, the owners object to pension
ing the 20-year men who have left
mining for other work and who may
have or may be able to get q UNIV
card.
There were at one time 100000
coal miners. Now there are only Q
few over half that many. It Is as
sumed that o large number Of the
100000 who drifted away had 20
years service.
The Taft Hartley Act prohibits
payments to other than the EN-
ployes Of employers signatory to
contract.
Here is the way the operators
have told Mr.. Lewis the trustees
should proceed before beginning
disbursement Of the fund.
First, determine who Is eligible
for pensions and benefits and the
qualifications of those who are to
receive the pensions and benefits.
Then, find out what portion Of
the fund, If any, shall be allocated
to each of the welfare purposes
mentioned In the contract and per-
mitted by law.
Not at All Reassuring
Finally, draft a detailed written
agreement regarding the specific
uses Of the fund.
In other words the operators re-
fuse to agree to anything until they
know where they are going. They
feel liability for all Of the fund
uses specified In the contract and
do not wish to buy pig in q poke"
The operators say If they COM
NIT themselves beyond the resources
Of the present !; 10-cents-per-ton
fund, Mr.. Lewis is sure to raise the
ante when the contract comes up
for renegotiation. On that score,
Mr.. Lewis, in news conference,
was far from reassuring to the
industry.
A reporter asked him about the
possibility of his demands exceeding
the intake of the present fund.
There Is no obligation on the
fund beyond the expenditure of Its
income" he replied. That is fixed
in the contract"
But, when some one asked If he
would ask for more than 10 cents,
he said:
THAT is a question for posterity,
and I can't speak for posterity."
Mr.. Van Horn made a survey Of
all companies which signed the
contract with Mr.. Lewis and came
up with the figure that the firms
employ $4,000 UNIV members. It
was indicated that 8.6 per cent, or
about $4,000, are at least so years
old. No data was obtained as to
their length Of service, but he said
very few men go in for coal mining
alter they reacn ~.
Murray on the Spot
Assuming that all $4,000 decided
to retire, which they wouldn't, but
it is still factor to be considered,
the cost of the 500 monthly pen
son would be about s33,600 900 a
year. That would not take into
consideration the thousands Of
outsiders" who, Mr.. Van Horn says,
the UNIV demands should be ell
gible. Costs would rise after the
first year, since the number retiring
would exceed the deaths.
Mr.. Lewis said that Mr.. Murray
the resigned neutral trustee-"could
have resolved this whole question (of
the use OF the fund.- by siding ons
way or the other. He decided not
to do So" Mr.. Murray was on
something Of a spot.
Mr.. Van Horn has suggested that
Mr.. Lewis join him in petitioning
the District Court here for ap-
pointment of a third trustee and
for IAN Interpretation and deter
mination of the questions confront
ing us. ." He said that Mr..
Lewis had refused, although the
procedure is provided in the con-
tract.
A spokesman for the union said
that Mr.. Lewis undoubtedly had re-
fused because Of lack OF conf
dence in the courts since he and
the union were fined heavily q year
ago for contempt.
Meanwhile, the operators have
asked the court for help anyway.
They are having completed by ex-
perts q more detailed study Of the
whole welfare and retirement pic
ture, one showing mortality figures
among the miners. the cost of hos
pitalization, medical care, rehabili-