Evening star., 1952-09-14
Askinq
$3.50 a Day and
.1OCents a Ton
Union and Operators
Far Apart; Saturday
Is Strike DeudIine
By jones Y. Newton

|soft coal operators large increases
in wages and welfare fund pay
ments and shorter work day,
it was learned last night.
Specifically. Mr.. Lewis has
made it known that he wants for
his 100000 miners a wage in
crease of about $160 a day; a
boost of 10 cents per ton of coal
as operator payments to the union
welfare fund; a reduction from
eight to seven hours in the "por-
ltal-to-portal" work day.
There are other demands, in
cluding the publicized Lewis plan
to share the work in the coal
fields among all of the miners.
This he would do by having the
operators who desired to operate
more than three days week pay
higher wage rates for additional
days.
Contract Expires Saturday.
Mr.. Lewis and the operators, at
the moment, were said to be far
apart in the matter of working
out a new coal contract. There
were indications, however, that
Mr.. Lewis earlier had been close
to an agreement with the Btu
minous Coal Operators Associa-
ton. This group includes COM
mercial operators of the North
and Midwest and the large mine
holdings of the big steel COM
panieS.
The United Mine Workers con-
tract with Northern and Midwest
ern operators expires next Satur-
day. The agreement with the
other large group of operators, the
Southern Coal Producers Associa-
ton expires September 80.
There was -pessimism among in
Idustry leaders that strike could
be headed off before. the Saturday
deadline.
Mr.. Lewis has called his $50
man Policy Committee here to-
morrow to review contract nego-
tiatiohs.
Welfare Revenue Down.
The base pay of the average
miner now is $1635 for an eight
hour day. That includes about
an hour required in travelling to
and from the working "face," in
side the mine, and a half-hour
paid lunch period. The actual
work time now Is about 61a hours
a day. The wage demand would
raise the pay to $17.95.
Operators now pay into the
unions Welfare and Retirement
Fund 30 cents on each ton of coal
produced.
The demand for soft coal has
Slackened greatly this year and
production now is running about
l3 per cent under last years total.
Unless Mr.. Lewis obtains a boost
in operator payments. he faces
these alternatives:
/. A reduction in benefits sup
ported by the fund, which would
meet with strong resistance among
the miners.
2. Cutting into the funds sur
plus of about $100 million. This
seemingly large sum is not con-
sidered too safe. a working mar
gin for program as large as that
undertaken by the miners union.
Steel Anxious to Settle.
The mine operators, particularly
those outside the steel industry,
believe the Lewis demands would
mean bankruptcy for many Of
them.
Many already are hard put to
make ends meet. Some mines are
operating only a day or two a
week with the average very little
more than three days.
Some of the big steel companies
represented by the Bituminous
Coal Operators Association report
edly were anxious to settle with
Mr.. Lewis without a strike. The
association is headed by Harry NJ.
Moses, veteran operator negotia-
tor.
The steel interests are parti-
cularly anxious to settle the coal
controversy without interference
with steel production. The steel
companies have from 80 to so days
supply of coal on hand.
Showdown Fight Seen.
Mr.. Lewis served notice of term
ination of contract with the Moses
group 10 days before he sent SINH
lar word to the Southern opera
tors. headed by Joseph E. Moody.
AT that time, in late July, the steel
producers had just settled a two
month strike with the CIO. Mr..
Lewis apparently believed the time
was right to gain quick benefits
for miners employed by the steel
companies.
But the strategy of attempting
to divide the coal operators ap-
parently has failed. Some coal
interests now believe the industry
is heading into a long and bitter
showdown fight with Mr.. Lewis.
Because there is an estimated
80 days supply of coal above
ground. largest stockpile in 10
years, there is little pressure on
the operators to settle.
Ineehurn Ie Woxr,:.~