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Show f. iy THE DRAGEBTON TRIBUNE Thursday September at the ln7(9) uvd the hope that we may help clear up any ment of any contemplated or desired change in misunderstanding that may exist in the minds of the medical provisions of the basic contract. We, the Columbia and Geneva coal miners and their of course, interpret this to mean that company families, we present the following facts: doctors would continue to give the required In ) C(1 The basic contract between the union and cal examinations at medi- no cost to the miner. the company specifies that when a man has been The company feels off duty for 15 days or longer because of illness he shall be examined by a doctor to determine his physical fitness for resumption of work. While the contract does not specifically state that the doctor making the examination should be a company should abide by the provisions of the basic contract and the interpretations of the con- tract, which by standards of previous practice have been acceptable to both union and the company, pri- and (2) vate, union or company physician, it has become standard practice, with union acceptance of such practice heretofore, to have a company doctor make the examination at that both the union and no cost to the employee. we are concerned about the physical fit- ness of the worker, both from his standpoint and ' O . that of his fellow workers. We feel, too, that com- pany doctors who are thoroughly acquainted with the working conditions within the mines are best The 1950 supplement to the basic contract qualified to determine fitness. affirms the continuation of this procedure by stating that This agreement (subject to the ammend-ment- In s, modifications and supplements as herein- after provided) carries forward and preserves the the present dispute the company has offer- ed a number of times to have the issues arbitrated under the terms of the contract. Again, as in the v terms and condifions - . . . and all the various dis- - past, the union has refused to abide by the pro- trict agreements executed between United Mine cedures for settling disputes which are clearly Workers of America and the various coal opera- set forth in both the basic contract and the 1950 tors and coal associations as they existed on March supplement, and which were agreed to by the 31, 1946." No mention is made ii the supple flss raiiy E3 union. miVal OVOSGOEi) i 19S2 |