Evening star., 1949-06-26
Lewis Reported
Urging 3-Day
Week in Mines
. Proposal Would Keep
Men in Pits During
Poy ToIks. Is Belief
By Jones Y. Newton
Stef Sfoff CeEtssponoent

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
w. Va. June 25-Soft coal oper-
ators were reported today as con-
sidering q proposal OF John L.
Lewis for a three-day work week
to maintain the coal industry in
an economically stable position.
Should the producers in the Ma
tional Wage Conference here &C
cept the proposal, it is understood
that Mr.. Lewis would allow the
miners to work next month white
other issues involved in a new
contract are being negotiated. One
OF the issues to be threshed out
would be the question of higher
hourly pay for the new 24-hour.
portal-to-portal work week.
Refusal Of the industry to ac-
cept the proposition would almost
surely. 1t Is said. result in con-
tinued Shutdown of the pits when
the miners Today vacation ends
July S. Both anthracite and soft
coal miners-about 100000 Alto
gether-went on vacation yester-
day. The present soft coal con-
tract, affecting 400. 900 Of the men,
expires next Thursday.
Negotiations Resume Tuesday.
Nearly all Of Che big operator
representatives. who have been
negotiating here with Mr.. Lewis
the last four days, returned home
for the week end. presumably to
discuss the three-day week pro-
posal with the producers they
represent. They will hold a meet
ing in Pittsburgh Monday before
returning here for resumption of
negotiations Tuesday.
Some Of the larger companies.
ones with sizeable orders still
untitled and whose mines have
been working five days a week.
are said to oppose the Lewis idea
for dividing equally amongst all
operators the busines Of the in
dustry. The smaller companies.
many Of which have been working
only three days or less. favor 1t.
Mr.. Lewis eventual goal by way
Of new contract is said to call
for 40 hours pay or approximately
that for the 24-hour work week.
He Is described as willing for the
mipers to receive less take home
pay during the comparatively
short period Of negotiations. They
now get $l4.05 for an eight-hou
day. So. until a permanent ar
rangement could be worked out
they would get $42.15 a week.
Operators Reluctant.
Operators were reluctant to dis
cuss the proposal and Mr.. Lewis
returned a sharp mo comment"
to all inquiries. He remarked
caustically there will be consider
able speculation of the type be-
fore a new contract Is reached.
Despite his remark, the report of
the proposal was we'll founded.
It is understood that the same
interim proposal will be offered
members of the Southern Coal
Producers Association. who for
the past five weeks have been
negotiating without obvious pro-
gress with United Mine Workers
officials in Bluefield. w, Va. II
the major portion Of the industry
accepts and the Southerners reject
the proposition, presumably their
mines will remain shut.
The proposal probably would
solve the industry's great prob
I'm of overproduction and slump
ing prices. 1t. however, raises the
legal question of compatibility
with Federal antitrust laws.
There was indication that If the
proposition is accepted. the opera
tors would join with the UNIV in
asking Congress for an exemp-
ton from the law. In the 1905.
Congress passed the Guffey Coal
tSee COAL. Page A-6)