Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-10-22 | Page 3 | Colorado Miners may Vote on Strike

COLGBADO MINERS inOHSTIE Men Dissatisfied With Report Re-port of Industrial Commission. DENVER, Oct.. 21. Whether , the report of the state Industrial commission upholding up-holding the so-called "Rockefeller plan" of industrial disputes in the coal mines of the Colorado Fuel & Iron company, will affect the labor situation in this state was uncertain, officials of district No. 13, United Mine Workers of America, said tonight. John McLennan, distinct member of the international board, &aid that union officials offi-cials were opposed to any drastic action hy the men, but that there was much dissatisfaction among union miners and that there wa3 a possibility that the men would vote to strike against the advice of their officers. No action has been taken by the officers offi-cers as yet with reference to the report, which waa announced yesterday, but Mr. McLennan said it was probable that the report would be considered tomorrow. Opposition to the "Rockefeller plan' and demand for recognition of the UniteJ Mine Workers were the principal grievances griev-ances discussed last summer when the union officials filed notice with the stMe industrial commission of their intention to call a strike in the Colorado coal fields August 1. This strike order has been held in abeyance, however, and Mr. McLennan McLen-nan said tonight that the union leaders were opposed to a strike during the war. The report of the state industrial oni; mission not only held that the "Rockefeller "Rocke-feller plan" is successful, but ruled that the other grievances named by the unhm officials in conference with officers of the Colorado Prjel &. Iron company were trivial triv-ial or without foundation. The commission commis-sion found tlmt "no gunmen" were employed em-ployed by the company anj that there was ; no system for the coercion of employees, 1 as alleged in the grievances presented by the union. A factional fight within t lie union was largely responsible for the demands, de-mands, the rcnort Bald. The "Rockefeller plan," to which the union objected, provides for employees' committees to confer with company officials offi-cials in the adjustment of grievances. The union demanded that grievance committees com-mittees appointed by the union replace these committees uf employees. The I "Rockefeller plan" was instituted after a I vifrit of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.. to the coal camps of the company a few years ago. In its report the industrial commission says the grievances presented by the union could have been adjusted without di fficulty under the "Rockefeller plan" and that investigation disclosed that there has been no dlserimlna tton by the com-Tany com-Tany against' members of the union. Demands De-mands for a wage increase, made by miners In the Fremont district, were held I by the report to he unwarranted.