NEW AGREEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1943, Page 3

NEW AGREEMENT

WITH AMERICAN MINERS MADE BY SECTION OF COLLIERY OWNERS. SUBJECT TO LABOUR BOARD APPROVAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) ' ’ NEW YORK. June 10. Breaking away from the Northern Mine Operators, the Centra] Pennsylvanian Coal Producers' Association has reached a separate agreement with the United Mine Workers' Association, ending the coal controversy which has gone on for months. The terms of the agreement, which are being submitted to the War Labour Board for approval, are not released, but Mr Charles O'Neill, for the owners, said it covered all the points submitted to collective bargaining and complied with the Labour Beard's directives.

Mr John L. Lewis, president of the U.M.W.A., said: It is a constructive solution for the whole problem. The same terms have been submitted to the other operators, and I have no doubt they will be accepted, unless there is political and financial interference. The agreement covers 65.000 miners, more than one-tenth of the nation's total. Both the United Press of America and the Associated Press of America hail the agreement as a victory for Mr Lewis, “cracking the operators’ solid front.”

A Washington message reports that a joint conference of the Senate and House of Representatives committees has approved a measure for fining and imprisoning anyone instigating, aiding, or conspiring to bring about a strike in a war plant or in a mine taken over by the Government. The measure, which is aimed at preventing a recurrence of the coal strike, will probably be considered by the House of Representatives next week. The conference rejected provisions requiring unions to register! and furnish financial statements to the Government, but approved a provision prohibiting contributions to political campaigns. , MINERS TO BE fINED MILLIONS FOR CHARITY(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, June 10. The United States Coal Administrator, Mr Ickes, announced that the Government, as operator of the coal mines, would fine 530,000 miners one dollar a day for the five days on which the miners struck last week. The fines would be deducted from pay and the total, estimated at 26,500,000 dollars, would be distributed to charity.