| Show OPEN SHOP SAFEGUARD FOR WAGE EARNERS A critical survey of the coal situation in the anthracite regions both as to labor wage and production conditions and a discussion of the relative merits of various plans adopted for the settlement of the industrial du problems that have arisen during the lat last decade including the recommendations of the anthracite coal strike commission of 1902 was contained in an address made by edward W parker director of the anthracite bureau of information philadelphia before the twenty third annual convention of the american mining congress mr parker said in part for more than seventeen years or ever since the end of the strike of 1902 there was industrial peace in the anthracite region As a result the miners and the communities muni ties prospered to a degree not excelled in any other industrial locality in the country such sporadic troubles as arose were settled through the agency established by the roosevelt strike commission of 1902 the anthracite board of conciliation only one failure has occurred in negotiating a wage agreement and that in 1920 the primary reason for such failure resulted from the interjection of a new factor the consulting economist into the wage discussions and the insistence of the miners representatives on the closed shop the latter calling for the recognition of the united mine workers of america as a party to the agreement with the check off finally the secretary of labor submitted a tentative plan which the operators accepted in a spirit of compromise the representatives of the miners however not only refused to agree but presented to the secretary an ultimatum including a demand that any new agreement should eliminate that fundamental finding of the original roosevelt commission that no person should be denied employment in the anthracite mines nor be discriminated against in any manner whatever on account of membership or in a labor organization the operators agreed to all the important compromise suggestions of the secretary but refused to accept any change of principles of the anthracite coal strike commission of 1902 A commission appointed by the president sustained the position of the operators and likewise went on record for the open shop also strengthening the award of the commission of 1902 by protecting 0 nonunion non union men in their right to have grievances presented before the conciliation board this endorsement of the open shop is one of the developments ot 1 1920 in the anthracite industry the other disturbing factor in the tion this year was the injection of the consulting economist details of whose action and the results were given by dr parker though the miners demands numbered eighteen there were but three of importance the closed shop a wage increase to correspond with the increase given the soft coal miners by the bituminous commission and the extension of the eight hour law to all classes of day labor with overtime for sundays and holidays the final award of the commission was in close accord with the compromise plan of the secretary of labor the developments of 1920 may then be summarized I 1 demonstration that in wage controversies satisfactory conclusions may best be reached by direct negotiations of the parties in interest without the help of consulting economists or other outside influences 2 operation cooperation co of transportation agencies is essential to insure orderly distribution of the product 3 anthracite brodu production action under best conditions is not more than enough to meet fuel requirements of its territory th this is means steady work for employed emp loyes and incon neon convenience to the public in case of any interruption ter 4 the policy p of the open shop is a safeguard of the workmans work mans individual freedom |
