LEWIS CALLS OFF U.S. MINERS’ STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1949, Page 5

LEWIS CALLS OFF U.S. MINERS’ STRIKE

NEW YORK. November 9. All bituminous coal miners east of the Mississippi River have been instructed to resume work immediately, and to continue until November 30 under the wages and conditions of employment laid down in the agreement which expired on July 1. 1949. The instruction affects 380,000 men who left the mines on their leaders’ orders 52 days ago. The order to the miners came from Mr John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America, and the union’s policy committee. November 30 has been set as the deadline for an agreement on a new contract. Commenting on the resumption order, Mr Lewis said: “This had been done as an act of good faith, designed to contribute to the public convenience”. United Press observers believe that the union’s decision was made to forestall President Truman’s invocation of the Taft Hartley labour law. The union said its officers would participate in any conferences on wages which might eventuate, but added: "Private householders and public institutions should provide themselves in the interim with the necessary coal supplies to tide them over a further suspension period, if the contemptuous arrogance of the coal operators remains undiminished”.