brotherhood, without diminution of strike pay. Sums above that amount are deducted from the strike benefit. If a member is discharged for taking an active part in the affairs of the order, and reinstatement is refused, the pottery is to cease work until it is granted. A defense or resistance fund is provided by a tax of 1 per cent of the earnings of all members. This is collected every pay day by a clerk in each pottery. To ascertain the exact amount due, the members are required to show their envelopes to the clerk. The union reported to the Federation of Labor in the fall of 1900 that it had won one strike during the preceding year, involving 56 persons, at a cost of $1,400. Piecework.-Potters are paid on a piece price scale, and a uniform scale adopted by the national union is now in use throughout the United States. When a new article is introduced the members who first make it, together with their shop committee, and with the consent of the local, are to agree with the employers upon a proper price for it. The price so established is reported by the local to the national president, and by him to the trade in general. CHAPTER VIII. LABOR ORGANIZATIONS OF MINE WORKERS. --- UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA. History. The organizations among the coal miners of the United States have been subject to marked vicissitudes. The present organization bids fair to be stronger and more permanent than any of its predecessors. The immense number of persons employed in mining, the widely differing conditions in the different districts, the large proportion of the foreign born, who are often willing to work for low wages and who fail to appreciate the benefit of organization, have all interfered with the permanence of the unions. The first miners' organization which was of national scope was the American Miners' Association, established in Illinois in 1861. This gradually extended to several more eastern States, but each State or district organization was practically independent. Dissensions among the officers and failures in strikes practically broke up the organization in 1857 and 1868. In 1869 the Miners and Laborers' Benevolent Association was organized in the anthracite coal region. It soon spread to the bituminous regions of western Pennsylvania and Ohio where it became very strong It also reached Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. It did not extend to Illinois or the more western States: but separate organizations in that region exchanged membership cards with it. It was finally absorbed in the Miners' National Association, a more widely spread body, in 1873. The new organization was prosperous for 2 or 3 years, having a membership of 21.200 in 1874. Later, however, wages fell, strikes were lost, and the organization was greatly weakened. Some of the lodges organized as local assemblies of the Knights of Labor, but not until 1878 and 1879 did miners organizations again become important. For a few years there were strong local organizations in the different mining districts, but no very effective cooper ation. The growth of the competition among different coal fields led the miners to recognize the necessity of a national organization. At a convention held at Indianapolis in 1885, the National Federation of Miners and Mine Laborers was accordingly formed. This was the most effective organization yet established. It succeeded in inducing the employers of Pennsylvania. Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia to meet in joint convent on and establish scales of wages by annual agreement. Within a comparatively short time, however, this interstate agreement system broke down, although agreements were still made in particular districts between coal operators and the miners' organization. The United Mine Workers was organized in 1890, and for the first time brought together practically all the organized miners throughout the country. The condition of the mining industry was, however, depressed during most of the early years of the new organization and its membership dwindled. It appears 1 Sketch down to 1887 based on chapter by John McBride in The Labor Movement. that before the great strike of 1897 there were only about 11,000 members in the union. At that time it was resolved to make a strong effort to raise wages by a general suspension. The unorganized miners were willing to follow the leadership of the officers of the United Mine Workers. During the strike many thousands of them were added to its rolls, while the successful outcome was still more influential in building up the membership. During 1898 277 local unions were organized or reorganized, and at the end of the year there were 628 locals, with 54,771 members. The growth during 1899 and 1900 was even more remarkable. The secretary-treasurer reported on January 1, 1900, 931 local unions with 91,019 members. On January 1, 1901, the number of locals had risen to 1,433, and the number of actual paid-up members to 172,529, not including those who were exempt from dues on account of prolonged idleness. The average paid-up member-hip for 1897 was 9,731; that for 1898 was 32,902; that for 1899 was 61.587, and that for 1900 was 115,511. During the past 2 or 3 years the organization has spent very large sums in organizing. The amount was $42,683 in 1899 and $62,286 in 1900. This was $1.15 for each person brought in in 1899, but in 1900 only $0.63. The following table shows the membership of the United Mine Workers in each of the States on January 1, 1899, 1900, and 1901: The table also shows the total number of miners, organized and unorganized, reported by the United States Geological Survey, employed in the mines of the different States during 1899. This will give some idea of the proportion belonging to the United Mine Workers. The total number of members in all the States, 172,529, is considerably less than one-half of the number of miners employed in the country. Since, however, the organization has scarcely a foothold in Colorado, and has not as yet made any effort to establish itself in Wyoming, North Carolina, and various other States which have a considerable number of miners, and since it has only begun to attempt to reach anthracite workers. a clearer view of the strength of the organization may be obtained by comparing the number of its members with the total number of miners in the individual States. The ratio is largest in Illinois and Indiana. Ohio comes next among the great coal States; though the Ohio district, whose membership is given in the table, includes a few mines in Pennsylvania and several in the neighborhood of Wheeling, W. Va. In Pennsylvania the United Mine Workers have till 'ately been mostly confined to the bituminous mines of the western part of the State. Even there the organization has been much weaker than in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, as has been abundantly seen in the difficulty it has encountered in enforcing annual joint agreements. The table shows distinctly the effect of the efforts of the United Mine Workers to extend their membership outside the four central competitive States, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The increase in Iowa and Kansas is particularly noteworthy. So far efforts to organize West Virginia have been comparatively unsuccessful. The Mine Workers are one of those organizations, like the Brewery Workmen and the Typographical Union, which undertake to gather under a sing e jurisdiction all craftsmen employed about a particular industry. As the Printers have contended with the Machinists, and the Brewery Workmen with the Engineers, Firemen, Coopers, Team Drivers, and Painters, so the Mine Workers have contended with the Stationary Firemen and the Blacksmiths. In all cases alike the principle of organization by industries as opposed by organization by trades seems likely to prevail. The American Federation of Labor convention of 1900 declined to take any action on the controversy between the Mine Workers on the one hand and the Blacksmiths and the Firemen on the other, beyond offering the good offices of the Federation in adjusting the dispute. The committee which reported on the matter, however, expressed the opinion that jurisdiction over blacksmiths and firemen employed about mines should be vested in the United Mine Workers in the interest of solidarity among all workers in the industry. This recommendation accords with the decision of the convention in the case of the Brewery Workmen. The Mine Workers' convention of 1901 resolved that members of the organizations of engineers, firemen, and blacksmiths should be admitted to the Mine Workers without initiation fee, on the presentation of membership cards of their own organizations, provided they joined the Mine Workers before May 1, 1901. Objects. The preamble of the constitution of the United Mine Workers declares that since without coal none of the grand achievements of civilization would be possible, it is just that those whose lot it is to daily toil under ground should receive a fair share of what they produce. The objects of the United Mine Workers of America are then stated: (1) To secure an earning capacity suitable to the danger and character of the work; (2) to secure proper methods of payment, including the proper weighing or measuring of coal, weekly payment, and payment in lawful money, "and to rid ourselves of the iniquitous system of spending our money wherever our employers see fit to designate; " (3) to secure protection for life and health and to reduce the catastrophes of mining to a minimum by securing proper ventilation, drainage, roof supports, etc., through the enforcement of existing laws and the enactment of additional ones: (4) to secure an 8-hour work day; (5) to prohibit the employment in mines of children under 14 or of those who have not obtained a reasonably satisfactory education; (6) to secure legislation prohibiting the employment of Pinkerton detectives or other persons to take armed possession of mines during strikes or lockouts; (7) "to use all honorable means to maintain peace between ourselves and our employers, adjusting all differences, so far as possible, by arbitration and conciliation, that strikes may become unnecessary." ་ Convention. The convention is held annually, on the third Monday in January. Each local is entitled to 1 vote for the first 100 members or less, and an additional vote for each additional 100 members, or majority fraction thereof. One representative may cast any number of votes up to 5. It is expected that each delegate will normally cast 5 votes. The railroad fare of delegates is paid from the general treasury only for 1 delegate for 5 locals, or for such smaller number of locals as, taken together, may have 500 members. Any local which is situated 1 or more miles from another local is, however, entitled to send a representative and to have his fare paid from the general treasury. No person is eligible as a representative who is not a miner or a mine laborer, or employed by the organization. No local can be represented which is in arrears for dues and assessments for 2 months preceding the month of the convention, nor any local which has not been organized at least 3 months, and paid 2 months' dues to district and national unions, before the convention. Officers.-The officers of the United Mine Workers are a president, a vice-president, a secretary-treasurer, and an executive board composed of these and I member from each district, each member elected by his district. The officers, except the members of the board, are elected annually at the convention by a majority vote. Nominations must be sent in at least 2 months before the convention and transmitted to all the local unions, so that they can instruct their delegates for what candidates to vote. The president's salary was raised by the annual convention in January, 1900, to $1,500: the vice-president's to $1,200; the secretary-treasurer's to $1,300, and that of the editor of the journal to $1,200: this increase being made in view of the in reased wages of miners. Members of the executive board are paid $3 per day and expenses while engaged in work for the organization. As a matter of fact, it appears that all the members of the executive board act as organizers and give practically their whole time to the work. The president is directed to attend or visit, in person or by some other national officer, local unions, district conventions, and other places where his services are required. The vice-president is to act as general organizer under the direction of the president. The secretary-treasurer must give bonds for $25,000, and may not have more than $15,000 subject to his order at any one time, all other funds being deposited subject to the order of the executive board. The executive board constitutes a national board of conciliation and arbitration, and between conventions has full power to direct the workings of the organization. It may even order a general suspension of work at any time it deems it necessary. Any salaried officer accepting a nomination or appointment to a political office must immediately resign his position as an officer of the organization. An organizer who establishes a new union receives $7 of the charter fee. During 1900 the experiment was tried of paying him an additional $8, being the balance of the charter fee, when the new local had paid per capita tax to the amount of $25. It was thought that this would induce organizers to take an interest in maintaining the young locals and getting them on their feet. There seemed to be no such effect, however, and the additional payment of $8 was abolished by the convention of 1901. Finances.-The charter fee paid by new locals is $15. The national union is chiefly supported by a per capita tax of 10 cents a member a month. If the members of a local have been idle for more than a month they are exempt from the tax. The national executive board may levy additional assessments. Boys under 16 are known as half members, and pay half as much tax and assessment as full members. The local dues may not be less than 25 cents a month. In order to support the several strikes which it was prosecuting, the executive board levied an assessment of 25 cents a member a month from March to November, 1900. The amount collected under this assessment up to December 31, 1900, was $173,629. This was 64.4 per cent of the amount that should have been paid, according to the monthly reports of membership made by the different locals. President Mitchell, in his next report, expressed his "keen disappointment at the failure or refusal of some of our local unions to contribute their share to the support of the men, women, and children who for months had battled and struggled, not in defense of themselves alone, but in defense of every coal miner in America." He added: "There are thousands of our members who received an increase in their wages last year which would amount to as much in any one day they worked as the organization required them to pay in any one month; yet these same men refused to comply with the laws and requirements of the organization, and threatened its very existence if the assessment were enforced." The convention of 1900 gave the executive board authority to enforce the payment of the assessment, under penalty of expulsion, on all locals which could not give a good reason for being excused. It was admitted by the president and by all that some locals, especially those in the anthracite region and some others which had received comparatively little benefit from the organization, might properly be exempted. The convention of 100 submitted to the members a proposal to create a defense fund by a tax of 25 cents a member a month. Twenty thousand one hundred and thirteen votes were cast for it and 11,510 votes against it. The total number of votes was less than 30 per cent of the whole membership, and the affirmative votes less than 20 per cent. Under these circumstances the executive council, considering that it is hard enough to collect an assessment when a majority of the members have voted for it, determined not to put the law in force, but to submit it to the next convention. At the convention it was defeated. The receipts and expenditures for 1900 were as follows: The amount of cash on hand was $39,378 on January 1, 1900, and $127,807 on January 1, 1901. It will be seen that the amount paid out during 1900 for the relief of those on strike was about $155,000. At the convention in January, 1901, it was reported that the organization was then paying about $5,000 a week for strike benefits, and in June, 1901, the secretary stated that payments were still going on at about the same rate. Str.kes. Authorization.-The constitution gives a very considerable degree of control over strikes to the central officers. The union has as yet no regular defense fund or provision for systematic strike benefits, but special assistance may be granted to strikers, and the moral influence of the organization is so important that the approval of the central officers is very likely to be sought before a strike is inaugurated. The constitution provides that where a difficulty is of a purely local character, the officers of the local union must first try to bring about an amicable settlement, and if they fail to do so, must appeal to the district organization of the United Mine Workers. The boundaries of the district are made to conform as closely as possible to the limits of local competition. They usually correspond roughly to those of the State. No single district, however, is exactly coextensive with a State, except in the cases of Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan. Indiana is divided into two districts. In Pennsylvania there are three districts of anthracite workers, besides two of the bituminous. The district officers must investigate and try to bring about a peaceable adjustment. If they fail, they may, if they deem best, order a strike. Appeals may be taken from the decision of the district board to the national executive board. In case the dispute is of wider importance, so that it affects the interests of mine workers outside of the particular district, the president and secretary of the aggrieved district must appeal to the national president. He has power to approve or disapprove the action contemplated. The district may appeal from the national president to the national executive board, and from it to the, national convention itself. Strikes not receiving official approval are not regarded as legal strikes. The constitution also declares that the national executive board shall constitute a national board of conciliation and arbitration, and the records of the work of the organization seem to show that these officers accomplish a great deal in the peaceable settlement of disputes by negotiation. Number and character of strikes.-Notwithstanding these provisions of the constitution and notwithstanding the system of joint agreements, the United Mine Workers carry on a considerable number of strikes. This is doubtless natural in view of the comparative newness and weakness of the organization. As it extends its scope it is forced to inaugurate strikes in order to compel recognition by employers. Attention has already been called to the frequent strikes caused by refusals of employers to abide by the joint agreements adopted by the interstate conference. Other strikes are conducted in the States not covered by the conference, and when the miners are successful the result is usually the introduction of the annual agreement system. Thus the report of the annual convention of 1900 refers to various strikes in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama for the recognition of the organization and improvement in mining conditions. There were also several strikes in the central district of Pennsylvania, which is not covered as yet by the interstate agreement, and in the anthracite region. In other instances the organi ation has been strong enough to secure improved conditions without strikes. Proposed establishment of defense fund.—In view of the frequency of the occasions for striking, the officers of the United Mine Workers urged at the annual convention of 1900 that a permanent defense fund should be established and that the national executive board should be given power to levy assessments when necessary to support strikes. The previous practice of requiring a special vote of the organization to levy an assessment was held to be unsatisfactory. A proposition for the establishment of such a fund was submitted to a vote of the local unions during 1900, but was ultimately defeated, as is stated above under Finances." Recent wage movements, strikes, and agreements. Strike in Kansas, Arkansas, and Indian Territory, 1899.-The Kansas Bureau of Labor, in its reports for 1898. pp. 328-354, and 1899, pp. 459-467, gives a detailed description of the great strike in the coal fields of Kansas in 1899. The strike began in Indian Territory and was caused primarily by the refusal of the four great companies operating in that Territory and also in the adjoining States-the Western Coal and Mining Company, Southwestern Coal and Improvement Company, Kansas and Texas Coal Company, and 1 Proceedings Eleventh Annual Convention, p. 20. Second quarterly report of national secretary-treasurer, 1900, p. 2. |