OCR Text |
Show Coal Pact Concluded TTAH has joined with a majority of other coal mining areas In the United States.. Agreement have been reached between operators oper-ators of coal mines In the state and members of district 22, United Mine Worker of America, for a two-year contract embodying "union" hop provision and recognizing the U. M. W. A. as the exclusive bargaining agency for miners. A result of the accord about 2500 miner will return to their Job as soon as operators Indicate Indi-cate desire to resumiTpfoducion. Although there ha never been any rift in relation between operator and miners in Utah, t least during the current negotiations, the agreement Teeched here is one more step in the eubstantial victory won by Mr. Lewis for the C. I. O. in most of the bituminous coal mining sections of the country. The fact that all of the contract thu far agreed upon contain, a a condition con-dition for employment, a provision that "all employes (with certain minor exceptions) be member of the United Mine Workers" give Mr. Lewis his demand for what he terms a "union shop, but which some operators con-! con-! tend is a "closed" shop. Practically, the effect of this is to bar the Progressive Mine Worker, an A. F. of L. affiliate, from the soft coal areas ! and to give the C. L O. a virtual monopoly I on soft coal labor. In addition to a victory for the C. I. O. Mr. Lewi ha struck a telling blow at his arch enemy, William Green, who is a member of the Progressive Mine Worker in addition to being president of A. 7. of L. However, with a , monopoly In his hands Mr. Lewis must be cognizant cog-nizant of the possibility that it is capable 'of i abuse. The nation's bituminous coal industry ! Is in a sorry state and it tottering condition even predate the era of general business unrest I This was brought about largely through in-! in-! roads upon its services by other mediums. Hydroelectric Hy-droelectric power and other kinds of fuel have risen to be major competitor in an industry in-dustry that once enjoyed virtually a monopoly for this type of service. That puts Mr. Lewi in a position of enjoying a monopoly within an industry in-dustry that is struggling under the highest type of competition. Undoubtedly Mr. Lewi took this . into consideration when he began negotiations with operators in the Appalachian district, for (instance. Ha made no reference to increased wage or hour of work. He concentrated on hi "union" shop principle. It will be well if he I continue to consider these factor when he de-J de-J cide what use he, will make of the additional I authority he has achieved through the new ' contract. - . He cannot overlook the prospect that any-' any-' thing which might take on the aspect of phe-j phe-j liagling and which might alter or interfere at any time with the regular production of coal under present agreement would inevitably send coal' customers searching for some other product prod-uct The effect of that, of course, would be ruinous to the coal industry, but likewise it ' would be ruinous to Mr. Lewis' C. I. O. |