American Strikers Ordered To Return

Chronicle (Levin), 3 December 1949, Page 5

American Strikers Ordered To Return

NEW YORK, Dec. 1. The miners' leader (Mr. Jolin F. i.ewis) today ended the c-oal strilce by onlering his union menibers to resunie work 011 Deeember 5 on a three days a week basis in both the bituminous and Mithracite niines througliout the couut ry. The miners will work on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays as they diu througliout the summer. Mr. Lewls authorised the making of separate contracts witli eaeli coal company, thus abainloning the recent policy of striving for uational contracts. Mr. I.ewis and the union 's S&lO-men policy committee had allowed a three weeks' truce to expire at midnight last iiiglit without nioving to stop the miners' walk-out. The strike will contmue tuiti 1 Deeember 5. Onlv the bituminous 'C.ncrs, east of the Mississippi, numberiug :isn,cifj(), have been involved in the walk-out, the anthracite miners naving resumed in the middle of Sep tember. A statement that the policy commit tee tssued contained a elause authoris ' :g branch oiticials to negotiate for wage contracts witli individual companies, and wlien sueh contracts were made, to drop the three days a week limitation. Tlie Associated Press ealled Mr. Lewis's strategy a compVomise, adding: ' ' It keeps the miners at work before Christmas, thus reducing the threat oi a revolt among them about tne meagre earnings in 19-49. He also staved off Cov ernment intervention becanse as ! "iig as the mines produce coal for three inx> a week the chance of creating an i -.icrgency is remote. " Mr. I.ewis directed the miners to work only three days a week in Julv 1 ■•cause the coal stoclcpiles were in- >•; I'usiug, and he said the miners wero "boiiig thrown out of work all ovei tiie country. " Mr. Lewis never detined what he wants in new contracts but (ieinands to have ineluded an inerease :ti tlie owners' contributions to unions* v. elfare fund aid and higher wages.