Evening star., 1950-02-12

PRESIDENTS COAL BOARD I
coal dispute fact-f1nding board
the President are Board Chairr
Board Secretary Richard Neust
closely following all these develop
ments, arranged conference
among all the parties on October
Z, 1949. A subsequent conference,
called for November 8, 1949. failed
to materialize when the repre-
sentative of the union indicated he
could not attend. On many other
occasions the Director of the
Service met with the parties in
diligent effort to effectuate set
tlement of this controversy.
Sporadic Production.
Throughout the period of these
negotiations there has been spo-
radio and unstable production.
On June 8 the union ordered a
brief stabilizing period of mac
tion," and from June 13 to 20
little coal was mined. On July S,
1949, the union placed into effect
3-day work week. From Septem-
ber 10 to November 8 there was a
central cessation of work. in the
mines. On December 5. the 3-day
week was again instituted. The
Christmas holiday period and COM
plete stoppages in Illinois and later
in the eastern district created fur
ther uncertainties regarding pro-
duction.
In this period since the termi-
nation of the 194S contract, there
has been frequent resort to court
actions and other legal proceedings
affecting collective bargaining
over the terms of a new agree
ment. This litigation has con-
cerned the welfare fund. damage
actions in State courts, and
icharges Of unfair labor practices
before the National Labor Rela-
tons Board.
On January 18. 1850, the gen.
eral counsel Of the National Labor
Relations Board issued a COM
plant against the United Mine
Workers and thereafter. on Feb
ruary 9, 1850, the United States
District Court held that an in
junction should be granted re-
straining the union from striking
for the union shop, the so-called
"able and willing" clause, and GER
tain features of the United Mine
Workers pension and welfare
fund.
This series of lawsuits has
brought into question many pro-
visions of the last agreement of
the parties. In these proceedings
there is further reflection of the
breakdown of genuine collective
bargaining In this industry.
| Some Companies Sign.
On December 3, 194s, the
United Mine Workers announced
that contract had been signed
with a number of coal companies
producing 100000 tons, provid-
ing for increases in basic wage
rates Of 95 cents per day and of
Is cents per ton in the contribu-
tons to the welfare fund. Since
that date the United Mine Work
ers has reported periodically that
additional companies have signed
this agreement. 1t now states
that a total of 1850 companies
with Al 100000 tons annual pro-
duction are under this contract.
On January rs, 1850, the
northern operators wrote the
union offerings to negotiate a new
contract "on the basis" of a num-
Der OF designated conditions. The
union accepted the invitation,
tstating that 1t would meet ito
negotiate in good faith, without
stipulation, qualification, or COM
m m en- t." The negotiations
which followed on February / and
February 2, 1850, broke down
without any effective bargaining
as the parties debated Conditions
precedent to bargaining" The
operators withdrew.
On January 81, 1850, President
Truman sent kilograms to the
parties proposing the resumption
of normal" production for a Pc
riod Of 70 days and the establish
ment OF fact-finding board au-
thorized to make recomendma-
tions. The operators accepted the
proposal, but on February 4 the
United Mine Workers rejected the
proposal. The President appoint
ed the present board of inquiry,
under the Labor Management Re-
lations Act, 1947. following the
general stoppage of work on Feb
lruary 6, 1850.
| Ill. FactS and Circumstances
Of the Dispute.
The board opened its hearings
with series OF private sessions
with the leading representatives
lof the National Bituminous Coal
Wage Conference, the Southern
Coal Producers Association and
the United Wine Workers Of
America. In the course of these
private hearings the board was
given q picture characterized by
confusion. Eight months Of coll