i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
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the part of the <strong>org</strong>anization to protect and safeguard<br />
the welfare and the material advancement<br />
of the men employed there. It is true that wages<br />
and conditions of employment are far from satisfactory;<br />
yet. as compared with those that existed<br />
only a few years ago. there is a decided improvement.<br />
For your information I herewith submit a tabulated<br />
statement showing the operation of the sliding<br />
scale as established by the following award<br />
of the anthracite coal strike commission.<br />
For each increase of five cents in the average<br />
price of white ash coal of sizes above pea coal,<br />
sold at or near New York, between Perth Amboy<br />
and Edgewater, and reported to tne bureau of<br />
anthracite coal statistics, above $4.50 per ton f. o.<br />
b., the employes shall have an increase of one per<br />
cent, in their compensation, which shall continue<br />
until a change in the average price of said coal<br />
works a reduction or an increase in said additional<br />
compensation hereunder; but the rate of<br />
compensation shall in no case be less than that<br />
fixed in the award. That is. when the price of<br />
said coal reaches $4.55 per ton, the compensation<br />
will be increased one per cent, to continue until<br />
the price falls below $4.55 per ton, when the one<br />
per cent, increase will cease, or until the price<br />
reaches $4.60 per ton, when an additional one<br />
per cent, will be added, and so on.<br />
OPERATION OF THE SLIDING SCALE.<br />
The operation of this sliding scale during the<br />
period of its existence—from April 1, 1903, to and<br />
including December 31, 1904, brought the following<br />
result:<br />
Average price Per cent, inof<br />
crease in<br />
Year. Month. coal. compensation.<br />
1903 April $4.44 per ton, 0 per cent.<br />
" May 4.52 " " 0 "<br />
" June 4.60 " " 2 "<br />
" July 4.69 " " 3 "<br />
August 4.75 " " 5 "<br />
" September 4.81 " " 6 "<br />
" October 4.84 " " 6 "<br />
November 4.85 " " 7 "<br />
" December 4.86 " " 7 "<br />
1904 January 4.85 " " 7 "<br />
" February 4.87 " " 7 "<br />
" March 4.80 " " 6 "<br />
'* April 4.43 " " 0 "<br />
" May 4.51 " " 0 "<br />
" June 4.58 " " 1 "<br />
" July 4.63 " " 2 "<br />
" August 4.69 " " 3 "<br />
" September 4.78 " " 5 "<br />
" October 4.85 " " 7 "<br />
November 4.85 " " 7 "<br />
" December 4.86 " " 7 "<br />
THE <strong>COAL</strong> TRADE BULLETIN. 27<br />
You will bear in mind that the increases shown<br />
in this table are in addition to the horizontal advance<br />
of 10 per cent., which was granted by the<br />
commission.<br />
Before closing this reference to the anthracite<br />
situation, I feel it incumbent upon me to say that<br />
I fear the anthracite mine workers will be unable<br />
to secure any furtlier concessions or even to maintain<br />
their present standard, unless they take immediate<br />
steps to perfect their <strong>org</strong>anization. While<br />
I am, of course, conscious of the fact that district<br />
and national officers located in that field, assisted<br />
by the thousands of loyal members of our union.<br />
have done all in their power to arouse the negligent<br />
to a sense of their responsibility, it is my<br />
hope that my work during the coming year will<br />
permit me to spend a part of my time in the anthracite<br />
districts, where I trust that by personal<br />
appeal I may be helpful in building up the <strong>org</strong>anization<br />
and preparing its members<br />
To MEET THE Cnisis<br />
that may arise upon the expiration of the award<br />
of the anthracite coal strike commission.<br />
Your attention is respectfully directed to another<br />
line of attack which has been adopted by<br />
hostile corporations against the <strong>org</strong>anizations of<br />
labor; one which, if successful, will do more to<br />
destroy the usefulness of trade unions than all<br />
the agencies combined, heretofore resorted to. * *<br />
* * The Victor Fuel Co. * * * * filed a suit in the<br />
district court of Las Animas county, Colorado,<br />
against the United Mine Workers of America and<br />
twelve of its national and district officers.<br />
The suit was brought to recover $85,000 damages<br />
for the loss that this company claims to have<br />
sustained by having its servants enticed from its<br />
employment, and the loss of profits consequent<br />
thereon. It also asserts that the men it afterwards<br />
employed or attempted to employ were intimidated<br />
and interfered with.<br />
Service of summons was attempted to be made<br />
upon the U. M. W. of A. by handing a copy of the<br />
summons to its president in Trinidad, on December<br />
3, 1903. A motion was made by our attorneys<br />
to quash the summons by which it was attempted<br />
to hold the <strong>org</strong>anization, on the ground that an<br />
unincorporated association not engaged in business<br />
could not be sued by serving a summons on<br />
its officers—as is the practice when a corporation<br />
is sued—or in any other way. This motion was<br />
twice argued and was overruled by the court.<br />
A demurrer was interposed on the ground that<br />
the complaint did not contain facts sufficient to<br />
constitute a cause of action and that the remedy<br />
sought to be invoked was obsolete and had no<br />
place in a free country where caste and class distinctions<br />
were not recognized; that men had the<br />
right to <strong>org</strong>anize and to strike when conditions