U.S. MINERS

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1943, Page 5

U.S. MINERS

WIN ON ONE FIELD

Operators Disrupted

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.!

NEW YORK. June 9.

The Wai’ Labour Board has called a public meeting for to-morrow, notifying operators and the United Mine Workers’ Association that it will be ready to receive reports on disputed issues, so the Board may proceed to a final disposition of the controversy. The Associated Press points out that Lewis so far has consistently refused to recognise the Board’s jurisdiction, for which, reason it is questionable whether the U.M.W.A. will attend the meeting. (Rec. 10.5) NEW YORK, June 10. Thef Central Pennsylvanian Coal Mine Producers' Association has broken away from the Northern Mine Operators, and has. reached a separate agreement with the United Mineworkers’ Association. This agreement is one endifig months of controversy over miners’ pay. The terms of the agreement are being submitted to the War Labour Board for approval. They have not been publicly released. Mr Charles O'Neill, for the owners, however, said that the agreement covered all of the points submitted to the collective bargaining, and it complied with the Labour Board s directives. Mr John L. Lewis, (Miners’ Leader), said: “It is a constructive solution for the whole problem. The same tei’ms have been submitted to the other operators. I have no doubt that they will be accepted, unless there is political and financial interference.” , . . . The agreement made covers eightyfive thousand of the miners, or over a tenth of the nations’ total. The United Press and Associated Press agencies hail the agreement as a victory for Mr. Lewis as, “cracking the mine operators’ solid front.”

Anti-Strike Law PROJECTED IN CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON, June 6At a joint conference the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Committee approved of a pleasure which provides for the fining and imprisoning of anyone instigating, aiding or conspiring to bring about a strike in any war plant or mine taken over by the Government. The measure is aimed at preventing ahyj recurrence of the coal strike. Probably it will be considered by the House of Representatives next week. Major provisions of the measure are: Firstly, an authorisation for the President to take over any war plants and mines were production has been mterrupted, and also a provision prohibiting strikes and “slow downs ot such plants; secondly, the establishment of the War Labour Board as a statutory authority with the power to settle disputes in war industries and to enforce a continuance of prevailing labour conditions, while it is deliberating; thirdly, the fine and imprisonment of persons instigating, aiding, or conspiring to bring about a strike in any Government-controlled war plant or mine, but excepting from punishment those employees who merely quit work; fourthly, notice to be given to the Secretary of the War Labour Board and also the National Labour Relations Board, ot any labour dispute likely to cause a strike in any privately-operated war olant or mine-, with a' further provis- z ion that.no strike call be called until it is approved by a majority! of the workers in a secret ballot. The conference rejected provisions for requiring unions to register and to furnish financial statements to the Government. The conference approved of the provision pronibiting the workers from making any contributions to political campaigns.