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Np* •o'l' M609 u'i ^S '^165 48i ■ 0300 Pf.one aa (716) 288 - 5989 Fo. % \<^^ j^u| KJEPORT ROYAL COMMISSIONER 03 COAL MINING DISPUTES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND HAMTTUl, PRICE lM«e4 br Mtkoritr of tk« Ktolater of IMtwr OTTAWA (iOVBBNllBNT PBINTING BUBBAU 1913 h WiiiiMiifttliiiwai 1^ ^M RKPO OP KOYAL COMMISSIONER OS COAL MINING DISPUTES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND BY SAMUEL PRICE luaad br antharity af tha MiaUtar af Labaw 49075—1 OTTAWA (lOVEKNMENT PRINTING BDBBIC 1913 *; ?; 9dnzu9i j nv -j ^ a^J t Bfcj^na ^- - . -<. '^ COHTEKTS. Report ^'""'■ Field of the trouble "^ Economic bearing Former hiitory " How the ,,r..H,.nt troubl,. ar„«<^Cu,nborland nn.l Extension ,a Attempt* at negotiation-Recognition of union wanted ,„ Reaaon. given for iUike—Diacrimination Part played by the union '[' Strike, at Nanaimo. South Wellington and Jingle Pot! ' . . "^ Statements of grievances Position of Compeniea •..•••.- Views of others " Review of mattero ^' Recommendation* Liit of Exhibit* / ' ^'^ ExhibiU ^" Agreement between the Western Fuel Co. and its employed !! Agreement between the Pacific Cast Ooal Mine, Limited and it« employee^' ^■^ Agr..ment between the V„„,.onver.X..„„i.o (V>«, Mining Co. Limited and " Its employees Farringten'a circular of Aprii 30, 1918 Foster'* circular of April 30, 1913 Foster poster ^^ FarriuKton's letter or article in the Inite.! Mi"„e Workers-" Journal." .'.' .' .' ^^ 49075— IJ 7Jkln^^r^^ ^^ ^"^ COAL -MINING LABOUR ?S? ilmi^o..^^^^^^^*^*^ '**LAND. 1912-1913. AND JiiiJ^^^^^^^^^ SITUATION CONNECTED THERE- WITH. i Thf ironoiiriiblo Thomas W. rHoTiieitH, K.C.. Minidter of I^l)onr, Ottiiwn, Oiii, wno wemed hkely o bo able to giv,. u«>.ful itiformmion. an.l after ,H.r..si„tf ih.. nontH r„„n«t..rf w.th fbo mattor. and other material plarvi at ,nv ,li.n.,^.,| bv tbe «r,,n,s ,.,.r„e. „„.! ,v the 1 .epart.nent of Mi„... ,„ vltoH. well «rHeh .,t • Field of the Tronble. incl,.di!!l!h''^,n°* *"■""."! T""* ."" ^^ P^<^'"*'i''K «"«! niino. in Vancouver Islan,!. mc ..d,nR the m.ne. of the Canadiau CollierieH (Dun.n.uir). Ltd.. at Cumberland an he V,. ' «'''ho ( oast ( „ttl M.neH. Ltd.. at Sooth WelliuKfon, ami the .nine of 113 iiuruiBi output. 1 tie |)ro( uctiou nt I' .\teii.iiiin li,.ii.,....„ ... .ii . .■■ ^^mall On Mnv 1 ion .i i-Mt risoui. iiowevrT. was still .■..niparative y * K-.i'i-L'-s!:;,!; tz:,:- ;;;:,;•„:!' ;,';:;,•;*: ;rr,i,v"r '•';■"' n.„:5'-J:;j' rt;:'^,;"K-i:;;S:''^;;/';;;';;;;:tS11:;r"''' '"•!■' "■••- 6 The srreat majority of the men have been without employnu-nt sine- the comn.once- inent of the trouble at their respective mines. Most of the men employe,! in these mines are English-speaking, largely English -md Scotch or of Enghsh and S..„teh descent, out for some branches of the work. ?n'^\1ll S.'! ^- ""'^' "iif.'o I' '."''""^ ■' employed, the number of Chinese employed m aU the Cowi mines m 1912 being given as 622. and Japanese as 117 onn „f V ? *'""' °^ ^^^ '""i'T ^^''"' '^"*' "^""^ ^'^ ™^" '^"^''•"K "«• Cumberland, and -no nt Extension. Some of these are former employees who have gone back, quite a ".nnber are new ,non that have been brought or come in. and a large number are ■ M.' V l"..n " •;' " '"*n •' ""? "-l-^^-'-'l "-• -Ploy-l in this company's mines largp" "'"'' "■■"'"*''''• "'"' """""f ^•"•f"'"'' m-'" the proportion is probably (iuite a m,.nbor of the former employees of all the n.in.s have left the inland either *o work or take holidi.y elsewhere, n few lavo taken up otiier occupations in the island, but the great majority are still in idlei:oss. waiting the turn of events An nn..s„ally large proportion of the men. especially „t Nanaimo. have good homes of their own and. as a class, they are ex..eedingly well-to-do. Nnnainio is. beyond corn- pan jon. the hiiest mining town T have ever been in. The miners who perf<,rm what may be .le.cribed .s the more skilled part of the ^vork ordinarily earn good wages. g,.ttimr from $:?.,30 „p ,o l.-i and $6 and even as high as If, or *,..,0 per day. according to the amount of co.- hey produce. No exact figures as o the average are ava. able for all the n:ines. but tl.e managers of the Canadian olhenes (l)unsmu.r) Ltd.. give the average for all men working at the face, during the hve montus preceding the trouble, as S.'J.flOJ. The Western Fuel Company give ^V^O^'tT" "■■'' ^"%P«-^"'P '^^'"'traft miners as $4.S6, and the company miners got *■ .30. The manager of the Jingle Pot gives the nv, ^.,^e pay for his miners, during .• month precHlmg the strike, as $.'-.0.'-,. p.r man. , .,e helpers, drivers and pushes ..ml „ her labourers got UMu.h less, running from $o.K.: or less up to ^i or $.T,-,0. The Orientals, even for the same work as some of that performed by the white men. receive as a rule, smaller pay. The day for the .mdergruun.l .nen is an eight-hour day, bank to bank, which in the mines ineans only from six to seven or seven a.ul a half hours' actual worl. This ihe'rni.eTsr'/ . •' '""'1 "1 "'*■ '?"''"' ^'"'■■^- '^ " ^''"'•"•^ •'">■• ♦h" usual rule in' the I nited States being eiirht hours face to fa.v. or actual work. Since the cessation of work, the union uu-n, and in most cases the non-union men Ml>... u ho are out of work by reas,.n of tl.e tmuble. have been roeeiving strike pay n.mely. .^ per week per man. with the a.ldition of $2 for the wife and $1 each per .h,ld tor men with wives and lamilies. This is paid by the T'nited Mine Workers of Anu.nca. an international union having its hca,l<,uarters at Indianapolis, and claim- .ng n ,neml,ersh,p of about KM.....H). The stat. nients as to their exact membe sh in "n A aneouve.r Island at the time of the cessation of work and at the present tTme are -onthe nncr. but at the t me the trouble broke out at Cumberland and Extension thev elaim to have had a majon.y ,,f the men at these places, an.l at the time of the strike M, til,, ot ler collieru.s th,^y lia.l. according to a stafruent of a reliable person in sym- ,;. thy w, . hem, about half the m,.n at South W.-llington and .Tingle Pot. and ab'out . nmn/ the men on strike has vastly incr,.as,.,l, ,.sp,.,.ially at Xauaiuio. verv many of those drawing strike pay having joiiu^l the uni,.n. ' Economic Bearing. Vancouver islan.l, b,.for,. the eomn n,.,.,Ment of th.. troubl,>s. was producing ''''''""^- '■';';'. "■,.,";'■', ''."'"' !'""'"-i ->' •>:! being gnvn as. in round nun;bers. a million and a quarter tons (of 2,240 pounds), worth on the seaboard where it is deliven.d for shipment $.5 000 00(^ ■ >: . •ic.f'xrr: ">♦! jutAfwr-'^m -lim it-^Tuisr^r^.T^^i °'J"'^'i: J'"' *°**,' ^"•'"'"••''O" «f the island collierieH for the year wa« over a million 2fLY\T' *'"«/"^--- »-tw«.„ thi« and the an.ount si beTg a^ounS "or washTni!" "" °' " '•""^'^"'•'•••' ""-"* "' ♦•"■ -ll--^ boilen,, and by the lit Of this one and a quarter n.illion tons sold, i.y far the greatest part was ronsumed ouv" Vief:;"*' ^°' *^;--* ^^^ *°/"PPly *>>« industrial and doLstic us of Van GolumLia and ..".^fn / r"*'" °' '"""'''''°" "" ^'"^ ""^*-" -««* of British thn„T ^ ."r , r ^ "''"'^ ooean-go.ng vessels and railways along the roast tL fse of%3 7"'" r"'*^ "' ''"^ "' ''"" ^""'^ *>-"• ^" «-- extent. replaeS the use of coa on vessels and ..n sonu- parts of the railways. The amount consumed "emai"n£ ZlZ T "'"'"^ ^""^ T V *"*"' ^••"'- "^ ^.58.00^";:;:: ^^ of'he rortrt:iargTM".xie:" '"'""'■"■'' '" '"*- •"'*"' ''"''''' -""^ ''''"^^ «-- *o "»»>" The home oonsMmi,ti,.n has vry jrrently increased in recent vcars. larg..lv of bia. ^n 1902 the coast collieries (including Vancouver Island and the Nicola-Princ- ton field) exported t., the Tnitod States 7.'. per ,-ent of their product, wh.le in 1912 they exported to the I nited States only about 21 p..r cent, about 7J per cent going o other countTies. an, over 71 per cent being sold for consumption in Canada «1mn . .K / '■"«l-Producing .listrict of the province is the East Kootenay. in almost the extreme southeast part of the province, and so situated that it does no come into competiti-.M with the Vancouver Island collieries. The Nicola-Prhur,. held, which IS producing, roughly, only about two liun.lred thousand tons per vear is situated some distance inland, but is usiinlly clas.sed as part of the coast district A Its product IS use 1 nrgely by the local railways and other local trade, it does not come into competition with the product of the Vancouver Islan.l collieries Numerous other deposits of coal at various points along, or not far from the coas also ex»t in British (Vlunibia. a uuinber of then being more or less m, ler development but not at present produ<.ii,g i,. competiti.ui with the collieries whe "the trouble is now existing. The greater part of the Island coal exported to the United States goes to Tali- tornin, where It comes into competition with tlu- Australian and .Tapanese product. S^n J th "'/-ll "^^'^'^'^ tlctermine the price of coal on the British Columbian coast. S.noe the strike the production of coal on Vancouver Island has. of course, enornioiislv decreased. The Cumberland and Kxtension collieries, operated by the Canadian (olhenes (nunsmiiir). Lt.l.. which before the trouble yielded, roughly speaking nearly half the otal production of the island, were working comparatively little from the Ifith of September to the end of the year, and the output for these collieries wa- about 1.50.000 tons lower for I^U' than it had been in .9,1. With thT WesWnFrel ilir^r'; u"'i-"r'- " "'■' '"■'"■'•' ■■'^■"'-^ ^'"^ ^■■■^n.di^n Comorios in annual prod.ie- e slofJw'n" : ""t ;7;"";"«;"->f'l the Ist of May this year, and so also with the South Wei ingtou and .Tingle Pot collieries, which, however, produce on a much smdler scale than the other two , ompanies. While, however, the latter thr e cl panies have been i.l le since the 1st of May. the Canadian Collieries, at Cumberland as already mentioiu'd. are now getting out nearly tluar normal output, the production the day previous to the day I visited Cumberlan.l being 1.06-2 ,ons. as compared with an average before the strike of L'.OOO. or . little more, a day. At Extension the production is still comparatively small. »n..ontne The local consumption, formerly supplied by the Van-ouver Island collieries is now, to the extent of the deficiency caused by the strike, supplied largely by "the "the latinr t.^^l'""-'"'''--'^ ^' ^^ P'^^"^-'- '« "ot ordinarily able to compete with the latter. The di.Te.-ence to the consumer seems to be that he is now, in many cases paying the same price for the inferior Washington coal that he formerly paid for the bettor product of his own country. The other most regrettable economi; effect „ he situation is the huge loss of wages to our own men and the loss to our people in various ways resulting from the stoppage of wa^e. and from the ing-ury Mother prevtrt",? '"fT ''«P^"^-' "P- the mines. The miners of Va h^gton. who pr3'e:°dS:„?tr^" ''"''""•^ ""'^ """'' ''-'' -•»• ^— >- •>-«'^'^« »>- The enforced idleness of the home collieries has not, of course, yet existed lonir "uZl 't^"" "%*""f<^-' - tJ*- -"J t^d''. but even up to th 'pilnt t^e the Customs returns of coal imported into western British Columbia from the UniS States are exceedingly significant. These imports for the year ending June 30 19^ ^t'S^ff:"'!.'"''' ''"'V''"f "' ^'''''' "« '^""'""'^ -»»> n7,'7l tons, VS at (M4U.4S5, for the year ending June 30, 1913. Or, taking the period subseouent to valued a^aTpS S-Pte-nber 1. 1911. to June 30. 1912. were only 7,101 tons. existed of 10918?'. ' "^ '^'■'^^0'^"""^ *''" *'" "'""^''^ *»>« ««"ke has been in existence of 109,16.S tons, valued at $.'592,846, or over 11 fold vaZed at ?i31^4 In '"*» ,^^torn British Columbia amounted to 35.951 tons, va S at £4^0 1' ^ '" ^Z'' T-' '"""*^' '" ^"'2 there were only 1,158 tons or over 25 fold '""'""' *''' ^'^'^ '"""*''' "^ '*-^''-'' *""^- ^'"l"'''' «* «126,484 Former History. Though it has often been remarked that the coal mining industry is more subiect Ir "cl tllmp of' "^7^ '' the withdraw... on the introducti:n of a "ew and more costly lamp, of an allowance of 25 cents n rlnv nnM ♦>,„ . • 1 • • ■ safetv lamns O., +1, . »■ i T ,, ■^ ' '" *"^ ""ners working with saiety lamps. On -the restoration of the allowance the men resumed work Lvinir ^ .'X^-iv/WTBati^ - > fc3 y.-; U « Vs ^-;. ssi^iKSA-^ra:*- f^ -*a . ' secret and irresponsible nature of the inner workings of the Western Federation of Miners and the deceptive practices of some of its most prominent officials; and on the other the comparatively simple manner in which a body of men mav at the instance of a few persons of ordinary adroitness and cunning, bo drawn into'a deplor- able situation from which they are unable to extricate themselves without humilia- tion and loss.' (Page 40 of the report.) In detailing the manner in which the strike at Cumberland was brought about the commissioners say that an unsigned notice was posted the day previous calling a meetine for Sundny, the purpose for which the mooting was cnllod not being stated in the notice. One of the supporters of the organization assumed the chair without motion and called upon the organiz, r of the Western Federation .,f Minors to address the meeting. A motion was made that a branch of the Fodointicn bo formed and the chairman was about to put this motion to tlie meeting without giving anv opportunity for discussion when one of the miners arose and n:oved that this step be not taken pointing out that if the Ladysmith miners were out on strike that had nothing what- ever to do with the minors at Cumborlaud. This motion was socondod. Anotber motion was made by anotiier miner, that tlie matter be loft over for another week 'as It was a serious affair and time should bo given to consider it; also, that a secret ballot should be laken at the nit to decide ti.e i.sue. Discussion on this point hnvin- been aroused the organ./er took the matter out of the baud- „f tlio chairman and", stepping to the front, dodarrd that all the motions wore „ut of order, stating that he had c.mo to organize a branch ot the Western Fodoration and that all those who were not willing to join should Va^e the hall. (See page 5:1 of report ) 11,0 reader who is familiar with tho conrse of rwont events in Vancouver Island will be interested to note l.o^y history repeats itself. The Commission made various recommendations Sou.e of thoso. in a more or loss n.oditie.lloi.m. have b. on adoS in the present Industrial Disputes Investigation Aet. The other more important ones may be summarized as follo.vs: — 1. That legal trade unloni^n ought to be ciioouragod and protected but that crganizations o the class dealt with in the report ought to be prohibited and declared Illegal, and that provision should be made for incorporating legal trade unions. 2. That to protect the union, it ought to be made an offence to diseriirinate against or discharge any member by reason of his connection with any legal union. ,■ 1 I' i^K^Vf '*''■' f '""''' "",* '''^ '^"■'"'''•^ '" ^•i"l«ti">' "f "ny contract not already wohited by the employer, and should be deoided by ballot and require a two-thirds majority of those present at a meeting specially called to consider the question 4. That there should be no discrimination against, or interference with an employee who is not a member of an organization. 5. That no person or union should be allowed to publish or placard anv other person or body of men as ' unfair ' or as ' scabs.' ■ without'^S ill!?'""' '""V"*' ""^ disagreements with the employer should be settled mulri consent ""'" """^ "'""'" "'""^'"' ""'''"^^ "' *''^' 1'""""'"" ""'*-«« ^^ 7. That penalties should be provided against wanton violation of contract as well as against sympathetic strikes. •-oniraci as well of exIJols?nT"''r'°" also comment.s upon the importance to the worktr.en themselves remarT^J that Ttf '" '" ••"■"'"\-^«"i===»tions and in choosing their leaders. t^ u;:;:L?ris";vtoZn" rt'': '^.'-.r-ri' T' ""'^"^"-^ ■^^'""""^^*^ Will becoine hard indeed, in.less son^'oUi^r ins:u;:tlln t^::^^;';hich';m "iX^ 2ci 1 '"k f."^"''!^"'™ which ought to exist between them and their employers A special obligation is therefore placed upon the upholders and leaders of unio^.ism to 490 1.") — 2 10 . ^rflL'L'^lT' '* '" "?' "^.^^'^fln^ed '^•ith that j,..t .corn and opprobrium which certain to happen un cm it ir animated by the dictates of justice and reaaon ..i8t.tut.on which habitually latos the fundamental rules of right and wrong c Ind tnT« \ ■"" ^*'?*'"' "''' '■'''"^" ♦" ^«^« »'«'*'» PU'ehased by other intere and to I avc been spies and traitors to their own cause. (Page 75 of report.) In l(Hb, trouble occurred at the mines of the Western Fuel Company, arising c of an order of he company requiring the men to provide their oW„ transportation a shaft where they could enter in nearer proximitj to the place oTVorkThis^d wa .aid to have been by reason of the enforcement of the provincial law limitfng hour= of undergrou,.a labour to eight -..s a day, bank to bank. As usually happe n such cases other differences were also presented after the trouble arose, and recoJ^ tion of the I n.ted Mine Workers' I'nion. to which a number of the minerr th n i tee ;,f h ^^'«'-kenz.e K.ug, the matfer was finally adjusted between a co. mittoe of the men and the mine mn.iagen-.ent. and an agreement entered into betwe he company and the men, which, witb some alterations, has continuS down to t time of the present strike. Xo recognition, however, was giv,,, to tl e inion The 111 n.ent being made with the men through a committee nppontedbvthl without mention „f the Tnited lline Work.T.. or of the Western FX.tifnfVu also .till had a branch at Xanaimo at the timelb u^W™h^£tirX; wi'tSw"'" How the Present Trouble Arose— Cumberland and Extension. The present trouble first broke out in the mines of the Canadian Collieries (Dun, muir), Ltd., at Cumberland on the 16th September 1912 TV,« ,„ >. „ „ j ,n,r.m.it to a resolution pas.e,! at a ..eetingS/el'^rh; X^rSur k ngl X said a holiday' as a protest again., the discrimination by the comMny agdnst tw of their men who were members of tlie United Mine Workers' T^ninn T^ j . ! after word of what had happened at Cumbeii^d ^td Lady" th Ld Sstr WnTl J° r*^ ^"' l^' '"'"" '"""""y «* E^*'^"^'^'^ "'- ""it work a meeting havb been held and a resolution passed in a manner somewhat similar to traTat CuX nte'^J^lTV'" *'""' "^ '^'" ^'^^•''"*'«" •" *»^'^ '^"^^ '"ade it clear thlt it wa intended to be a permanent strike. * Until the 1st of May, 191.^ the trouble was confined to the mines of the on. company-including Cumberland and Extension. Work at the "Xrfes of th remaining three companies, at Nanaimo, South Wellington and Jingle Pot hJt gone on meantime in the usual way On Anril SO hnwi,.-,, • ' " '°* -s?x/s^^s^7£sr£SS entered into an agreement with the United Mine Workers of ImerTca ^"''^ ""^ Ihe cause and circumstances of the trouble at Cumberland anH FTt«„.- i. ueen matters of some controversy When npw= ^( \r^'^^^^^'^ /^'" •^'^*'^-' ^'^ -'-^ ^he telegram. Hon. T. W. CROTHER.S. CUMBEBCAND, B.C., September 20. Minister of Labour, Ottawa. J. J. McAllister. Hon. T. W. Crothers. ^^^^luo, B.C., October 3, 1912. Ottawa. for a statement of our Position^: tt prlTe'^t^druirbl^^lrth': C cT* :rr-;s LS^- j^i-sr £¥^^^^^^ no arrangements other than that made at Zr^eLtT' ""'"^ T local union, U.M.W. of A., held in the even,-,,' "hf "^i-, -n" ^^^'°» "^ '^^ wa:, endorsed and a committee appointed to co^nfi-r v.ith'1 "' " "'"°^ ™^-^t"'B committee went to the officers of tl! ™ ''onfer w,tij tj,e management; that Panied by District Pr^fdTrT Foster wherthrm"'""' ^'^'*^""'" ''' «'"-- 49075-21 '' management positively refused Ifl !,«.!!?' '/"'/""!'""'■•'= "" Tuesday, Soptombt^r 17. tho mnnngemcnt posl not CO onlor,,,^ nil „,„,, ,„ ,akc thoir tools out of ,1,. .nine., ako Ht„ti„rt roll oo,.ia 1,0 ma.lo out. Later, the .nen held another mans meeting and gc another eonnr.t eo to ,„eet the nmnnRement. Mr. Clinton, whon, they met he offieo ami whom they iuul been informe.l would represent the nmnageme. old then, he h..d no „„thor.ty to do husine.. with them. On the 2:ird of hI temher another e.-OMnittee went to the otfiee and vr.et Snpt. Lockharrand d eus^Hi the s.tuation with hin.. There was no offer made by the eomtni^tec eond.t.ons under wh.eh the n.en would be willing to return to work nor d -Mr. I.o.khnrt ]nake any prop„8it.on that the men should return to work at , .n.v statement that the eompany had changed it. position or withdrew t of.v. they Iuul posted or m,Hlifi.Ml them in any pnrtieular. Nor as yTha they nuvl,. any stn.emont to aee.m.mo.late or p,.stc.,l any notiee that Zy la, . wm,v,l ,h..,r a.ntude that siu.ply an ounted t,. a wholesale di..eharg„ o he.e men. On the Hth day of Sept. u.ber. Lady.u,ith n.iue workers dee d ;: s ::u^T!:i: """"•"^'"•■'' •""- —"•• -"• ^^->- '»- -- -<>- V.iur« r.sin-ctfully. I'lTsitll'ltl. •Toiiv Mc.Vllistkr. Scrri'tary. In a communieation to the Pren ier and .Minisfr of Mines of the Provinee. date, September -1 101l\ .ig„eent but when they went to the ofRc. the management refused them a heari.fg llso.' Mr. Clinton, who came to the door to meet them, .aid, ' W,. don't want to hear you at all.' and shut the office door. The conunittee return,.d to the meeting and reported. 1 he meeting thereupon decide ^--'^ •-^•-'- the company to tLf w th .i» ' attributing the trouble to the refusal certain Tn"^ ,^^r dtm ssed ^TaVtV '°"""'"^' '' ''' '^''^ " '^-«-" -«" happened a lockouttZr thkn a St e oVsrkToTuVr* ^'^ ''"T **'"" ^"^ the cessation of work. The communication^n V'^* . "' °" **"' '^•>'nP'">y f siou claimed the men w,;" e^ Uled o twn 1 ^Vl * '" "1'"I' ''^^^"'■^' *''« Con.mis keopin. the law in takili tC^'p^^tersn^ ' WeTd:;;' ''rl '''l-^' ""'^ "■"^'^'•^ taking a holiday any more th,,,, tl,„t ft ■'.. , . , " ' ""*'*^'' "'«' <'"mpany ol ' when the Beco;.dl V waTi L men l^^Ti:, r '""^ """ '^T"' "■"' ''« ««y'' t^a, time did they offer to go hack' '^ '" ""' "'^"' *''"''' -^"^ ""'^ that at nc the sS:in:E^ i:::^.:; £ :i:ir £:;"^:;;'.r • :^ work, but without result moruiiiK; tor the men to come to former terms and co'l^diu' o LX^r^onruTZ't^T ''T^^"* '" '^'^'^ '^ this wa. about a month after theTrilfo "^'"'^ "^ ^"'*" ''''°^'' that The euphonism of cnllinir a strike n hr.\iA.^-^ : i Vancouver inland. It .^eom.fo he ^ettil „ n J J?' "" '""■"' ""^' "■■ '""""'"'d to day ' at Ladysmith was To eont^^nue as W l''r''^'\?"^'T' """''''''■ ^he ' holi- land, or until Mottishaw was t ken ba k VroJablHr !,°"-°^ Tl '"^*^ '' ^"'"^'■ the nature of the proceeding to their own men U /T "^ the leaders to soften was a strike, as much as a wish o decerye the m X' ^'{"'"/"'^''t ^alk if told it practice. I can feel no doubt what haoDen J »t r u T^',^"' *'"'' explanation of the a couple of days later at E.xtenrion enuTl y with wbfr t'" "' "'^" "' "'^"* '"'PP«"«<1 afterward at Xanaimo. was a " ik; Tthe ord n.T^" "^ ^7" '"'"' °' "^'^^ """"ths by those responsible f .r it of the prov Lions o Z T T "J 'W''"' ^""^ " ^'«'«'°" Act, which, in respect of industries more "mmeHit 1 'f'' °'?"*^ Investigation coal mining is classed as o.t! forbid" strii^e of cl' ". '*"-f *^ ''"'''''^' "^ ^^ich Tided for by the Act have been taken "''""*' ""*'' '^' •'"X'^edings pro- ..en. could not make any difference, ^ th^e lll^'tTh^Hirne^Varat&r.lt IB phshed f«ct. The uotiw. however, hs .xplaiiu^l by the mmmgoirent, and others, was the u*ual no^ce for preservation of the UmU and t„ save the m.-n from bi>ing charged with the value thereof, and it seems to have b.H-ii nothing n-.ore than what was rendered proper and necessary by the men's own actions, and tlie same thing that is done in the ordinary course when an employoe absents himself from employnunt. Attempti »♦ Negotiation— Eeoojrnition of Union Wanted. Manager I..K-khHrt. wliilo he admits it is u fnt-t tiiat he refused t.i treat with the union or Its comir.ittee, says it is untrue tluit he refused to meet a committee of {h» m.Mi. The lettergram of Foster and McAllister, as already mentioned, makes it plain that It was a committee of the union that went to interview the management on .September 16. Meir.bers of the Board of Trade of CumlHTlnnd sav that shortly after tlie strike eommen.iHl the Mayor and Board of Tra.le of Cumberland endeavourtd to bring about a settlcuient. an.l to this end arranged with Mr. I.oekhart to have him in.vt a committee appointed at a mass neetin^' of the men. and to aid in this negotia- tion sought the assistance of Mr. Krvii.e, the imio,, organizer. Krvine however wished the m.H.ting to be called by the I'nitcd Mine Workers, which, of cours.' would luive immediately defeated its pi.rr.ose. The Board of Trade, however, proceeded to call the meeting, but when it was assembled representatives of the Tnited Mine Workers took possession of it and. by interruptions an.l disor.Ur. prevented any motion l»nig put or anyfhinp being done. It is -bar. tberef,.re. that the union ii:en were not 'ontent with any lugotialion that Would not r. jrnix.. rli,. union. Tb.. demands for r,.,ng.iition will b,. turth.r dealt with in refrrring f, tlu- part played bv the union and in detailing what oceiirred at Xanaiiuo. Reasons Given for Strike — Discrimination. E.xamiiiing the reason, all.g.d for the action that the men to,.k, it will b ■ observed the one grievance which is put forward in all these early statements is 'discrimina- tion, eoupled with the complaint that the company would not negotiate or ejqdain regarding it, this latter complaint, except in one or two doubtful instances, referrinc to negotiations with representatives of the union. The discrimination is attributed in some of the statements to being on gas eom- "iittees and reporting gas or bad air in the mines, and in others to connection with tiic union. The two cases cited particularly are those of Mottishaw and Smith, ifottishaw Inn been worlAng tor the company at K.xtensioii and while there acted, in accordance with the provisions of the Provincial foal Jlines Uegulation Act. on what is known as a gas committee, along with o:.. Fortrey. That Act. in addition to requiring inspec- tion by the management and other precautions for safety of the mine, provide, also lor inspection and report by a con:mittee of the men in their own behalf. ]'ortrev and Mottishaw 1,1 .June. 1912. made an examination of the mine at Extension and posed their findings in the usual way, also filing a copy with the local union, which, «.th the seal of the union attached, was afterwards forwarded to the Department of Mines at Victoria This report foun.l that there was gas and that the air wlTslaek .n certain places. The department, immediately on receiving the report, took steps to have Its inspectors examine into the matter, and several inspections were made l>> diffsrent inspectors at various times which in part c.uifirmed the rep<.rt Motti- shaw was not present either before me or before the Labour Comuiission to tell his o.n story, the representative, nf t),, ,,«> not kiunvi,.^ wh.r. he .as. Some time ExUMwi "''tJ? "■' »''^/"'"'"'"'*' ^»*ever. he ceased working for the company at Extension. The men aUege he was dismissed, or rather, what is equivalent, was not s "'thaT '> "T t*^" '" "'r "•■" ""^'"^•^ °"*- T'- ■■""""^- ''f the 'company saj, that he voluntarily quit on the 19th of August, and lat.r asked for employment IS •nd wai refuted on .coount of hi. interference with the firemen at the minei who ..ml .nnl . r*''7l*~r*'^\'''^ "°* ■PP«'"'^-''-"t to the other mine, of tl ..me c.omp.ny at Cumberl«„d an.I applied to Mr. Henderson, the m.^.ger of one t.ur\t""- ^l' """"'"f r"'." ' '"'^ 'I'""- "-"d-'-on .wear, th.? hVtold hi he did not know about coal digging but a.ked him if he would drive a mule and th. "ad BttL' r'' ""',•'"' "r/' '""' '"^^ -f-""-'^' »'« found that Vottt a hm 8t .rteji working w.th one of the contractor, at thi. very job. Henderaon ,.v. ' told f.l.oO a day. The ngulflr cn.pany wage for thi. work wa. $2.80. and Ilender^o .-J he wa.. annoyed „n.| ord.red ('..e to put Mottishaw off and to tell him thah . t .at Mott..haw WHH thu. dcalf with beoau.o of hi. connection with the ga. .on n tee .„ reporhng the defecfv.. ..ondition of the mine. Henderson «wear!, howov" t en '", 77 "7'' «"-V'""«f «»«.ut Mot.i»haw being on any g,., conunitte;. I, ha bee.. CO .tcded uUo by the n.en that it made no difference ,o the company what wnge the contTHctor Cue wa. paying .M„ttishaw. as it w,..s contract work, but tLi, .rfh ease. a. there wa« a condition in the contract that if ('.. di.l not make wagL he wo .1, be made up. „s they call it. and he .dn.i,. that in fact he wan • n.ade T' to *4 ^ u.t he must get nd of h,m. and claims that the matter of wages was only an ex u* and that in reality they did not want Mottishaw at all » » " 'y »" excuM, thev'^did ZTn. v\r r'""!;"''' '*^'"'"'' particularly to Extension, admit, that th , did not want Mottishaw, but «ay« it wa. becauw of hi. interference with and call.ng nanjs to other men about the mine, as already mentioned, "ndbl^ateh. was a trouble-maker and an agitator. oecause ne As to Mottishaw-s connection with the gas committee being the cau«e of th« co„.pany s objection to him. that is strenuously denied by all the managers Po„ly wrote out the report was not dismissed, and it would .,^m great folly on the Dart of any nane owner to discourage any one from assisting in the protection and safctv of the >".>u>. wh.ch IS m the interest of the owner as well as of the employ^ The Smith cfl*e has not been emr-hasized to the same extent as the Mottishaw h m 1 1 ih-f th' """ """"u "r '"' "'* ^'•"'^'' '""^ management did not w „T h.m. As to this the manager Henderson agrees, except that he .avs Smith hiu.self voluntarily quit in May. and in September came back to loo'c for work h.Ting , h.m back was that he quit in May because he got too tired to work, and tha thej always had trouble between him and his working partner, a.id he say.sthe fa ct t hat Smith was practically incompetent. "** • ^''f^ ^f°"«*'a'» and Smith were not wanted bv the eompanv is as will K.. -»„., quite pla.n. The only thing really i„ question is the reason'f r , o't ^.nt ng ti.cm I cannot feel that the mere fact of Mottishaw acting on a gas commit oeva he oZTlC '"'''"" *". \"'' '' *'"" *''"^ ^"' '^«"y t^"" ^""t .,f the trouble I Ch ca es the managers of the eo.npany probably feel sufficient justification for d .li, g ::;E;s™wSt^:^;::r:tirsXi^ ...<.r c,,p!.-.j. A T-M to r.nr.ug to ..o.l W- a,-tivc in the UM.,.n must surely be ,lis t. .gmshed from abus.ve interference with other :„en and with the wo k " he m't^ or Iron, laz.nc. or lueompctence and inahilit.v to work agreeably with co workers: •■dlt IT NfVfrlhcl.*. fl.oMBl, ,ni-.,i|,|.r..|....,Hi„„ of tho .ctiial f».-ti m to thr,P cfl»o, may liar* h». I. KO0.I iiiptp"•■" i">"'«l. Aftor tho .ottlomont of the troublet of 1!K)3 and 1 Ml... u,„on.,ni 80..m. to huv.. ,l..i.ii„e,l. Son.e local orgunizationH at.d one or two br.,M,l».. of the I n>t.Ml .M,no Workers existed on the island at different time, sinoo. but w.ro w.thiaiiain:o. The orpauizatiuu su'ii;^ to have i.'.uiied •• th.- Canadinn collieries at Cumberland ai estalili.hnicMit friction g.-enis to have C(]iiiniei, the company, the eliief b. iics of eniiliiitio.i ispe- ■'•^itr«t -tn uKlh aniouj.' the miners of elision, and not very long after in nt these places belwicn tho men a' 1 „ ■ ■ ,. . "K ihe di-erimiMation, or alleged onminat.on, against n..-mbers of the union, an.l th.. ivfu-al of the .•..mpauv to r. .u... the uni.m .,r meet or .l.-al with i,s ...,mmitt,.es. though many of th.- n,,'.,, snv tluU It «as the e.vist.MKv of oth.T gru'Vanos an.l unfair treatn...„t thai I.-.l t... ami in fact nec..ss„ate,l. the orgaai/ati,,,, of the nni„u, ami th,.y .ay tla.y j.,!. : ,h,. rnitcl Mine Workers of Ameri.-a l.,..;aus.. ,h..y di.l ,.„t f....| that a men-lv l,,,,,! ..r.ani/ati, , ' ' stn.iig enough to deal with the dilti.'ulti.-s. ()n .Tune 1. 1^12, the Tnited :\Iine Workers addressed a oirculnr to tho min.. til!!: Hn^ 1 "" "r"""' " " I"""'' "'"' " ^'"^^ "■ '"'•■•"^'-'^ ''"" -'^- of r'rS'S w::^.e;s. -"-^ '^ ^ -'- "■'-^-"- ^^ --"'•^- - ^^ ^^ Ihe M.,ttishaw and South iM.Md.nts oceurre.l during th.. two or three mouth, following the above circular, ami the tr,.uhle at Ciiinberlaml oi, the lOth of Septe ,be ir :';'','; "'.""'• "^ f '"'"'' -"-";-'l- '^''-"K -ntrol of the negotiations ami ins,' t' T^K ."l^'^ niLVthiiig that was done towanl a settlement d.uie through them Ihe trouble at Kxtensuui. as alrca.ly mentionrd. foll..w...l .,ui,.klv on the trmible iL of't" - 1 >-«s of the latter reached Extension and Lfldysmitl'a moet^ not t. ^ ri " k V'"' ''f"^ •'/ I-"'b M'.ith on September IS, at whic.h a motion ^as mad. TJ 7 ^"'^- '""? ^'"'"^'■"^^ "-"^ '"l^™ t"'ok. "r nntil the Cumberland mines resumed. A suggestion that a committee be appoiiito.1 was opposed bv Organizer Pe tigrew, and „ vote by ballot was taken, but it is asserte.1 „., pains w'ere taken to eontine it to those ertitlnd to •••-•**■• ^ > .,V, W'ednesdav, Thursday and Fri.l tHe ii.en rel r;t iiiiiid from work on their tools, which. lay. and on Saturday noti.-e was post.>.l to take out s in the Cumberland case, appears to have b a notice made neecssnr>- by the .■onduct of tl leen nothing more than in the nature' of le men in quitting w.irk, and not at all 49075—3 of a voluntary dismissal of the men by the company M In OctiibtT, 11M2, ifur « loiiffrci' e of tin- union r« jirtt enUtivi-i, ProBtdent Foil •ddrmii'd to the ofHTaton another i^'ircular enclitainK ■ prupoiMid MgriM'incnt whirh 1 ••keil the conipaiiiiii to ooiifcr with hiiii upon und ratify, stating that the miner* we di'ttrniiufd to cttahligh their orKunizutiou on thf i>lund. No notict- appear* to ha' bfi'u tttkfii of thin, or the former eoniniunicHtinn, the o(N-rMtorii, a« already itated, n being willing to Tvfiigu'uv the union. The pr<>|H>ntioned agreemen exii.te.i work with other men and graduall increased operations until the mines at the two places were producing probably aboi two-third« of their former output, tro\iblc suddenly broke out at the o'her mines. On the .'JOth of April. IHI.'I, without apimrently any warning of what was goin to happen, Farrington, representing the International I'nion of I'nited Mine Workei of America, under authority given him by President White, of Indinnapoli*', issue from .Sciittle written instructions to Robert Foster. President of the Vancouver I-jlan bi.strict of the organization, ' to call a strike of all the men employed in and aroun all the mines at Nannin.o, .South Wellington and .liiigic Pot, the strike to begin Ma 1 and to continue until ii joint working agreement between the Tnited Mine Workei of District 2S and the mine owners on Vancouver island has been secured, gaid agre< ment to carry increased prices for labour and improved conditions of employment and Foster, in compliance therewith, on the ?ame day declared a strike at all the co( mines on the island, and askini all miners to cease work. .\t all these mines whose men were now called (Ui strike, unexpired collectiv working apr»><'ments b<'tween the owners and the men, entered into after negotiatio lietween the managers and the committees appointed by the men f(,r the purpose, wci in existence. That with the Western FOel Conpany, at Xanaimo, would lot expii until .^'eptcn.ber. Ifll."}. tl ' with the Pacitie Coast Coal Mines, Limited, at Sout WVIIincton, until Septemoei. 101.'. and that with Aw Vancouvcr-Xanaimo Cof Mining Compan.v, Limited, at .linglc Pot, until Deccndn^r, lOl.'t. These agreement fixed the terms of pay and various other conditions, and provision was made in ther for filling any vacancy on the I'ommittee by mass meeting or pit-head ballot, and fo Conferences between the conui.ittee and the "intuig n>e!!t of the niitjc i-.n »n«ftt'rs T-'st ing to the agreement, or any new matter chan-ring the statu- thcrenf The men, however, notwitlistaudiMc tlicse nMreenients. and without any notifica tion to the mine mnnagers of what thev were intending to do, ;nid without havini attempted to negotiate, ns tl.c iit're.ni«<« at Nanainio, at all t-venti, were oppoied to the itrikc and would have peraon- lly deaired to continue work. At a masa nutting of miiur* luld at th« l*rini'<-*'. Thtutrt'. Nanainio, on il>« icvening of May 1, the niPn wort addn-Mod by wvtral oHioir^ of tlif I'nited Mine Workers. Diatrii't Prenidciit Fi>»t( r, who prf^idfd. told tli. niiii ' thirp was no need take a vote on tho strike which was chIUkI liy :i,o the tniiljlc at C'linilxTland wouldn't lait long, and naid that the iiiiiKr who w.Mit to work w.uld 1m> tolil stimithing later. KuMpIt, an officer of tie nrirani/atinii in the titate of Wn-liiniftoii. rotnpari'd the back- ward atate of the orRani/.ation at N'anainio with its Ix'tter eoiulitioii in 'liat state, and said if the men in that state found they wire -"upiilyiuK th< al markets* of the Vancouver iHland men, they would lay down their tools. Erviiie, another orgar wr, told the meeting that * the n.an who goes to work to-inorro\v i* n »cub. We'll uiow to-morrow whether the men of Nnnaiino nre senba or white men.' Thore waa much diluent iluriiur the meeting, but tlio-e who urgrd the keeping of their existing agreenu-nts were »htion, the answer wa- that they jihould join the organization and get a vote. "The -in'ular i-iHUed by rarringtou, which wiis read to the n:eeting, stated that the men i.. J in the strike, both union and non-unif)u, would rc branded as A SCAB. As a result of this, and by reason of the pickctinK. oiid, as the joint committee say, of intimidation and insults to which those attempting to a,, to v(>je<'l ■ .nable doekintr -y-ieni where dirt or roc loaded with the eoal; not petting fair \>eight and net alway:. having proper facil for the men's checkweiubcr-i, and at ', 'unilM riand and 1'.xten>ion the deduction i! by the company of ;itl per cc>nt and ."> per cent respectively for dirt in the coal, is < plained of; and it is urged that the ton of coal r-hould in all case? he the ordi 2,000 pounds instead of the huig ton of 2,240 pound-. The lack of s\iitable was places and other eonveni-nces for the men has also been mentioned, and eharge-i madj that the conditieu .if some of the mines, esju'cially at Fxtensi.m and C\iii land, since the strike, is exceedingly unsafe. Though a demand for a general increase in wage- ha- not tigun'd largely in men's own complaint-, it has been put for'vard veri- persistently by ^tr. Foster some o'hcrs, ard is based upon the ground that the iMst of living has ver.v gn increased in recent years. Position of Companies. The companies and their managers mid superintendents, on their part, deny unfairness or improper treatment of the men as far as thev are concerned. Mof tneni aoTiilt lllut il jS pe.-S.liie Ui«L iu BUeli e-iwli-iipive uperaoons lliuigs may o which should not happen, and they say where so many men are employed some of t will inevitably be dissatisfied and feel that they have not been as well used by n ! end in view, Western Fuel igning it had [Stances, how- tho chairman \inion leaders \ithority, and nri' called for sny that they irIi it is trud no additional Stockett. the t file meotinfr vhi'ii it would ill tlu> island, vorc had with n~ with their 11 oases, both ir.oii, who ill UMtioii. union, and in iilicr of prriev- I's. oipocially ation alnady rtiiin of tlioir nis.'d. ,>r to a > 111' paid for ■r the atnouiit an linn atioii- (1. tuo liifih a rt or rook i? ipcr facilitlc- iliii'tion mail' I'oal, is ooni- the ordinary table washintr d oharjfos arr and Cumber larRcly in th'' r. Foster anl very preatly art, deny any led. Most of s may occur some of them 1 used by the bosses as some others are, or as they should be; but all the. managers say that anyone feeling aggrieved was permitted, and encouraged, to come to the ma ngement with his grievance, and in the case of Nanaimo, South Wellington and Jingle Pot mines, there was, as already mentioned, in each of these an agreement committee for that purpose, if the men aggrieved chose to be represented by such a committee. The managers also say that the wages they arc paying are high and, with one or two small exceptions, as good as those in other camps, and that the conditions in Van- couver island in other respects are hotter than in other places, and especially that, as compared with the United States, the hours of labour are very considerably shorter, though they say that they have always been willi"g ' ■ conside- any representations that may be made to them as to any of these matters it they ire approached in a reasonable way. Mr. Stockett. of the Western Fuel Company, as already 'uentioiied, even in the face of his unexpired agreement, was willing to give an increase in wages not only to the drivers and pushers, wlumi he found to be Kctting a little Ires pay than the same class of nun in the East Kootcnay region, Ini' also to giv: ii small a-ncral increase. All the managers say that the scheilulo presented to them by the president of the union, apart from its other objectionable features, is altogether out of the ques- tion if they are to coiitinue to carry on the eoul niining luisiness at all. They say also that the price of coal has not been raised in recent years, the last general advance having been made in 10(1", and that even during the scarcity of coal while the strike has been on they have not raised the price nor allowed those to whom they sell to raise the price to the consumer. The Canadian eoUieriis point out that the 20 per cent and .I per cent discounts deducted at the Cumberland and Extension mines for dirt or rock is not sufficient to make up for the loss of weight in cleaning the coal after it is brought to the surface. In 101:.', for instance, the reports show that out of a total iiroduction of T'lJi.tiSO tons, 101,854 tons was lost in washing. This discounting and a number of other matters regarding conditions at their mines are simply, they say, the continuation of the condition of things which they found existing at these mines when they took them over Some three years ago, and tlu'y chiiin to have always been willing to consider and deal with anything which might justly be considered by the men to be a grievance. Coming to what I am satistied has always from the commencement of the trouble been the crucial point at issue, the managers say their companies are determined not to recogjiize or deal with the United .Mine Workers' Union or its officials. Variouft reasons are given for this determination, among them that it is controUei'. by foreign socialists and agitators who care nothing for the interests of the people of this country. They claim that the United Mine Workers have been trouble makers in other places, and some go so far as to assert that their leaders are merely in it for the money they make and that they have to be bribed in order to get along with the union at all. They say, further, that it would seem useless to enter into an agreement with leop''^ wl ) deliberately caused the breaking of the agreements already existing and wha therefore cannot be considered as likely to honour any agreement if it suits their purpose to break it. Most of the managers profess not to be opposed to unionism as siii.'h, but to have particular objection to the union in question. Views of Others. Tlie majority of the joint committee already nieiitirned. and a large inin;her of men who were not in favour of the strike, including many who claim to have been union men all their lives, express the same opinion of the United Mine Workers, as at present conducted, as the ir.ine owners. They claim that instead of being, as formerly, a genuine trade union, it is now an autiicratic and socialist organization, ..,..! t!...'i ;!_ -;.-,ji!!-.,..!5 art-, ijp^ti-.ii-fiv."- r,t;i! •.■.:;f;)!r r.nd =r,i-!: -.-.i ;:.-. )-..-.f..-.!:r:-J'.!;! H'-ai' =''--iild support. Vario.is misrepresentations made by its leaders in coiiucction with the present trouble are pointed out in support of these contentions, and the high-handed ■way in which the strike was declared and forced on at Nanaimo, without givini men interested an opportunity to vote upon the question, is especially referre Some of the men wlio are now at work say that the union leaders are more anxio make trouble than to redress grievances, and it i^ asserted that the Mottishaw committee episode was the result of such a design. One man states that he was beforehand by a member of the union that there was going to be a strike and sail strike was bound to come. By others, the breaking of the law by the union leaders in calling a strike b( asking a Board under the Act is instanced as evidence of the nature of the on nation; the carrying of a red flag and playing of the Marseillaise in their procesi IS also referred to; al-o the fact that some of their leaders endeavoured to sti antagonism not only against employers and capitalists but against all constit authority, finding fault alike with the mayor of the city, the Provincial Governi at Victoria and tlie Dominion (Government at Ottawa, and obje.-ting to the prcs of police for the protection of life and property and the preservation of order. Some persons express the opinion that the orticials of the I'liited Aline Wor organization are in the pay of the mine owners of Washington State, or are a events, acting in the interest of the pwple and men there who are profitinf' by tie-up in Vancouver Island. It is pointed out that, notwithstandinsr the prr- ise n at the ;\anaiino mass ireeting wlwii tlic strike was (nllod, the men of \ shim have not ceased work or beni also called on strike, altliough Washington coal i fact now supplying the markets of the Vancoiner islanders. Mr. Farrington's 1. in the I )iit^;l Mine M'ork:rs' Journnl of -Mar.'li 27. liil.'!. i. referred to, in whiel purports to explain the circumstances and reason of the entrv into and proceeding the organization m Vancouver Island. This letter points nut that the product \ ancouver Island comes into competition with the union-mined coal of Wasliiuj Jind that It is sold at t. price wliicli. in view of its superior quality, prohibits comi tioii Irom Washington, notwithstandiig that there i> an import duty again.st it o cents per ton. The letter, however, also refers to the inequitable competition that ■ Jiri.-,^ troiii cheaper non-union labour oii Vancouver Island and to a desire of prol iiig the employees on the i-laiid. who, he says, were being 'infamously fleeced subjected to impositions.' A coi)y of the letter is hereto attached. Outside opinions generally seem to regard the actions of the union, cspecialb Aanaimo, as being unwarranted. The mayor of that city, in giving evidence be" the Labour Commis-^ion before any trouble had taken place at Nanaimo, described cc'iditioiis there in respect of the earnings of the miners as being exceedingly g, and .=aid he thought uie relationship between the employers and the men was \ satisfactory. Review of Matters. I have prefcrr.Ml to >tate with a good deal of fullness and detail the facts circumstances as T have been able to discover them, rather than give merely a I expression of opinion upon the merits of the case. The essence of the trouble, as I think will abundantly appear from what I h stated, is the resolute determination of the men in the union, urged on probably not in its inception at least before the matter had gone far, by outside influence establish the Tnited Mine Workers' organization in the island and compel rocognit of it by the employers, and the equal determination of the companies, in the h stages of the trouble if not before it» .>omiiienf en;eiit. to have nothing to do with 1 organization. This, as has often been pointtnl out. is of all labour disputes the k most difficult to settle, the question of recognition barring negotiation at the v outset, and there being, as a rule, no common or middle ground upon which C( promise, can be effected. - I am not disposed to think that there *vere not some grievances that nee( remedying, at all events at some of the mines, but it is only fair to say that on cl ^- 3ut giving the y referred to. ore anxious to tfottishaw gag »t he WR8 told B and said the I strike before jf the organi- ir processions •cd to stir lip II constituted I Governn-.ent I the presence ' order. lino Workers' or aro, at all jfitip.f' hy the prr- ISO mailc ^ . shingtoii on coal is in npton's letter , ill whii'h he roceedings of '■ jiroiliu't of Wa.sliingtdn bits coiupeti- lin.st it of 4:1 ion that ini:y re of protect - 7 fleeced and especially at idence before described the 'dingly good, ion was very he facts and lerely a bald what I have probably, if influence, to I recognition in the later do with this tes the kind at the verj' which com- that needed hat on close 23 examination nianj- of those alleged did not appear to be well founded, and a large number covered matters that took place years ago, some of them previous to the time the mines in question came under the management of their present owners, and in com- paratively very few cases does it appear that any proper steps were taken by the com- plainants to have their grievances or alleged grievances rectified, or any reasonable effort made to bring them to the attention of the superintendent or mana^r of the mine. In nearly all the later eases, at all events, the attempt at negotiation or remedy was made in a way which tould only have been expected to defeat its own puri)osc, namely, in a way that involved recognition of the union if it was entertained. Among so many employees there will always be some who, either from inefficiency, dis- satisfied temperament or other cause, will think they are not properly treated, and a few who prefer to find fault and make trouble rather than have things run smoothly, jand the idleness that has existed during the past months has no doubt 1m1 to much nursing of grievances. Bosses, however, even without any fault of the manasrement, are not always what they should be, and favouritism or other unfair or improper treatment probably did occur in numbers of instances at some of the mines, though I can find no ground for believing that the mine owners, apart from the ques- tion of unionism at all events, countenanced anything of this kind where they could avoid it. Apart from the question of recognition of the organization, I believe there was no question either of wages or conditions of employment or any other grievance or complaint which could not reasonably have been hoped to be settled by negotiation between the parties or by conciliation or arbitration under the Act. In regard to the chief ground of complaint originally set up — discrimination— I have already intimated I did not think the company discriminated against anyone merely for having acted upon a gas committee, though some of the men no doubt so believed, others possibly putting the complaint forward, or being willing to have it put forward, because of its being a good gr'und upon which to enlist sympathy, as well as an assistance in discouraging men 1. ti going to work at the mines. The question of discrimination because of connection with the union is more difiicult. In the two cases specially put forward, other reasons existed for not wanting the men in the employ of the company. The conclusion which I think would be best justified is that, while the companies avoided as far as possible any direct act which could be attributed solely to discrimination because of connection with the union, most of them at all events did not want their men to belong to the union, and the men did, in fact, believe that joining or being active in the union might bring them into disfavour with their employers, anv. were not without justification for that belief. The mine owners, as already mentioned, assert that it is the United Mine Workers' Union in particular, as shown in the nature of its actions on the island and elsewhere, and the dictation nf foreign officials, that they especially object to. What was done by the United Workers' orgt ization or its officials at Nanaimo in bringing on the strike there cannot but be condemned I think by anyone look- ins fairly at the facts. A collective working agreement was in force, binding as far as any agreement of this nature can be binding; a way was provided in it for deal- ing \/ith grievances, no grievances, if any existed, were brought to the attention of the mine management, nor any notice given or attempt made to negotiate in any reasonable way— for I do rot think that the two circulars sent many months before by the president of an organization which, even months after, according to his own evidence before the Labour Commission, had only 'a very small ptrcentage ' of the coal miners of Nanaimo as members, could ho considered a reasonable approach of the company in the circumstances; a strike was declared without any vote by those con- cerned ; attempts to get a proper vote taken were met with tactics that I think must lie considered very reprehensible; niisvepresontation was in some respects priictisef t», exaggerated. The statement that uTnen^ntZ of f«t«l a "'" "* T' '^'"^^'^ the Canadian Colliories (Dunsmuir) LiST ) -f^idents at the mines of 1911 to 1912. .hile corrLt/areffVon" f Vaet thTtT'^m '"' ^'"l' '^ abnormally low percentage of fatal accidents only 04 n t 1 .-."""r ^^ "" province was 2-32 per 1 000 Tn 1019 Vv • -"4 PtT 1,, while that of the gr^at increase over mi ^^ sti"l yL lot "T!':?' '^"7^ ^*"°"""-'' ^ «"^«<^' " the exact figure, bei.ig "a'lr o^^wIT ,1"' "*':,"'" *'"'^ '^"^ ^"' '^' "'-'-<■• The official returns ^ow tha^t 1^1^11 ,. Il"" '"' 'T'"'" "^ " ^'''^'^ «''>« ^'S^'- dent either in 1011 orToiJ E^t-"-^"»' '"H.eru.s there had Utu no fatal acci- correct. Aceonliug to V-'otli:::,11XD:pa?m;i;r M^'"^ r^' '"^' new miners' certificates were irrantcd t„ n,il/„i / !. -^' '"<'''' only tli.rty-six trouble down to the time oH,e"il "h^JT ^"'"V tl^'V-n^nioncement of the in the usual way accot^i,,;. lo'thrSreme ' TZlTJZ '^T 71 '■""'"^^"' only granted after the examine.^, including the tMu ' "Lto of Al'' ""'' ^'"^ fied that those Orientals were „ualified and ontitl^ .. rS hem "' "'" """ niini'of £^;z;;r-err!::^rt;;i;;t:rm:S^^ -> «"^ not only relatively, but absolutelv, th^ o aT nun her of O 'i T"' 'f ' ^^""'^■"^-'■■•. ^.. ssr;r ^s,"*H,f^c F f t?F'f -- -- -- application, hein^ incapable of InMng .o c^Jtr .ed n H ^o "' ?:""""'"•' «"<'l' '"' gati<,n of any kin.l. bu onlv for an an vJ.r f 7^^' ?" '"'""*-' ^"" «" '"^•^^^t"'- que..tion at issue. ^ hether Jro^" ^ „Tlv f "'""Vr "' "'''"' ''^- ^"''' ""^ '^e only discharged certain nLTan I wh cttr L ' ™""'^-"""-' ^"M.lo.vors to say why thev had already, hv tek^rTn, be on 'L h , T' "^.'rf'' ''''''■'"'■ '^^^^ -^""-ter Cumberlan,!. when- tl ^ Ir ke 11^^ w^ f " '."^ the so^.retary of the union at the Act, and told him Lt W were be ng t^r^d'^^T^h mV''';,'''' '" '"'''" "'"'" ol this t<. ..frnun and of Air Ko.t..r- I ., ^"^^aMed to him for the purpose. Copies instruction: fron/ t d,T^Irtn ^ ^ ! 1" T'lr'' """"^ '^''"" '''■ -^f-^''^""'' ""d" parties were willi„/to rnake i la^e T W'"^ "" appli<.ation, none of the mencement o^ the present i.v tig Ho " ^ h'U d i^tT"^""- ''^' 'l''"'' "'^' «- "Pply for such a Hoard, he dcl.r.^ bk- w lli u ""'"," '"" '^''" ^'"'"R to of the union thereby i„volv^ a,, h nwH 1 \"' ""'' * "'^- '•'■«'K"iti'-- application. wa,s an ine^.tive p ! Jit o "t " Th:.:,; h f .f """"""'''* *" '""'^^ "" to apply for a Board under the Act their vol n, T!^ """'1 '""'"" "''* ^■''"*'"»^' "■'- ""J »'- .>«>t they k in prJ.^i:;; \1Z Pro: "Sl'T^b ur c" ""' ' '"''"^'''"'] ■^ "mnber ot their co„,„,unications. .how that the I ZT \ ('""".'.ss.on, and to, but desiri.l. investi.-,tion into ,. 1„ I »"< ''.idcrs of the union were not averse and forcod iiitirviiiti.Mi .,f miy kind, ixii|it t.> .Mcrtiiiii mid rfii..rt tlio facts, ovfu if proviMou (•.\i>tod for it. appt-ared mure likil.v to .li-la.v than tu a>lviiiRO a tinni stttle- ineiif. Recommendations. With a view of n.akintf the i.rovi>iun> of tlie Aet ni.ire Miti.-fa.tor.v. ,uid to assist, if possible, in preventing or in settling future diftuulties. I w.mhl make the follow- ing recommendations: — 1. In order that there may be no ri>oni for doubt in tlu- mind of anyone as to what IS forbidden by it, I think the Industrial Disputes Investigation Aet .should 1 amende.), espe«'i«lly the definition of 'strike' and section M, so as to ••icarly .:over what IS in reality a strike or lockyut, and make tiie provisions of the law more easily understood and more likely to be properly enforced. Witiiont anv furthwr eommen't upon the practice of calling cessation of work a •holiday,' or reflecting on th.- bona fides of the contention that the men at Cumberland and I.adysmith believed they were not oiremhng against the law in what they - arbitration in the ordinarv >cii-.- seems to he open to serious objection, and does not appear t-. have been a success iu Australia, and ii.ithing better in this respect than the principle of our ,)Wii .Wt scni- vet to have Ihhmi dcvis,,! Instead, therefore, of making it a subjc.'t of fault-timling and contention, as -onu" have done, I think all parties .should unite ii. trying t.. inii)rove the A.-t. when- it r.oi be made better, and assist in carrying out and enforcing its provisions. -J. I think it is desirable that collective agreements such as those in e.xi-tei„c at Nanaimo, South Wellington and Jingle Pot. voluntarily and forinallv entered into for a .specified time between employees and eniphiyer. „r between an cnii'ilovees' nnjou and their emph)yer. should be given the sanction ami protection of law. I think along this line lies one of the greatest improvements that c.nld be made to th.' present Act The benefit of such a: rcemcmts in .safeguarding the rights and interests of Ix.th parties and preserving harmony, is obvious. In their evidence Wfore the I'roviiwial Lab.mr ('oni- niission, the union leaders and men, referring to tlu- Cumberland and I'^xteiision tronl- s commented on the grcjit desirability of having such working agreemnifs ,ind <'omplained of the lack of them in these places, and the evilr resulting from no,, having them. The endeavour of the United Mine Workers throughout has been to get such an agreement with the mine owners, though they hav iiicliule<-ognized oi)iKirtniiity and occasion for adjustinent ..f tn.ijbb^ of dissatisfaction, and for making right what is wrung in the term- and eundit ^■■. emp.-jnieiit. In thi:^ I fhir.k •. ;. ,,.-rii,-,p-. il„- i,„,s| nnpuriant iiencnt and advantage ot an npreement system. It wiH fix a time and |,ruvi,le an upiiurtunitv for dealing vvitli and re<'tifying all tli.-e things in the ordinary cuurs.', and in a h.laral ■ -d re<'og- nized way. instead of let;,i,g matters run alun- haplia/anl and indetiuiteK without and «) (Muses niiitions ."uirect means or deviVfl ♦ '"use ('ontmuance nf > " shou d be n^/.k have the „«„,.« of ill „ J *'''"'^ ^'^^T inoonsistontlv 'I '^'"' *" Pnnln 1 '""" T *ith queetiong thi Mering discmt., "ot'on gets beyo,, mil recognize that «« of employment By haveanoppor- S'^'ng cause for »t of course inav '•urrency of any J'^Pute as to its ■«f '"«. or incif. ' 'aj; as a Board ""ght determine agiwment, and J'o exercise the ^ be prohibited, '^^tly or by any iployee belong- '^ershipofany •»»• already tfie use of 1 asking, ro 'i,v bo pul,. "iterest of '<^ the use lire* their LIST OF EXHIBITS. 1. Agreement between the Westorn Furl Company and its fiiiployeos. 2. Agreement between the Pacific Coa^t Coal :Mincs, Limited and its employees. 3. Agreement between the Vancouvcr-Nanaimo Coal ilining Company, Limited, and its employees. 4. Farrington's Circular of April "'0, 1013. 5. Foster's (Mrcular of April W, 101:^. 6. Foster Tostcr. 7. Farrington letter or article in the United Mine Workers' Journal 87 m (Exhibit I.) MEXO&AHDUM OF AOREEICENT entered into this 18th day of September, 1911, between the Western Fnel Company, hereinafter called ' The Company,' of the llrtt part, and the Employees of the Western Fnel Company, represented by a Conunittee of Five, elected at a duly called Kass Meeting, held Septem- ber 2, 1811, hereinafter called ' The Men,' of the second part. WiTNKssKTH : — That for and in consideration of the several conditions hereinafter mentioned and the mutual advantages of the parties it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows: — First. — The rates, terms and conditions in effect at both Number One and North- field Mines, during the month of September, 1907, ghall continue in effect during the term of this Agreement, except as hereinafter provided. Second. — The Company agrees to oontinue the pnymeiit of the present bonus of ten per cent. r/iin/.—Tlic Conipnny will absorb the exiiense of operating the Protection Ferry. Fourth. — The svnteni of Doekaite Tiiipoction ns practiee. and including 100 lbs. of refuse per ear, cuuti-cation of car. Over 100 lbs. of refuse per car, dismissal after investigation. Ni'iMiinKiLi .Mink. I'p to and Inehiding TO lbs. of refu-e per car, double dockage. Over TO lbs. and includiug 140 lb-, of refuse per car, eonti^ Mtiou of ear. (^ver 110 lli-. •<\ retu^e per car, dismissal after investigation. P.ovided, that any party dismissed nuiy have right of appeal to \\h- S\iperinten- dent of ilines, whose deeision shall l-e tinal. Fifth. — The Company agrees to a minimum rate of Three Dollars (*;"!.00) per shift for Miners in the Lower Scam Workings of Number One and Northtield Mines. It being understood that the Superintendent of Mines shall be the judge as to tba ability of the party to o -a such niiuimun.. Sixth.'-Thc Company agrees that when a Miner is taken from the Face to per- form Day Work he shall receive the Miners" Day Kate. Simnth.— The Schedule for loading"<> «"'• P*' ton additional. Third 80 feet from Dump to Face Line. 15 cent, ^r ton .ddition.1. wff siSLtirt-hit Jit ttr.?^ ''^' '- *" ^ '• ^°"-- When Rock i. 2 feet thick. |2.40 per yard. When Rock ii 3 feet thick. $4.00 per yard. 8kipr;;inrt:':ar^l:h°;??o/ the^rJef ^"" '^""^ ^^ ^- •- ^^ '- "'<'•• .V.nM.-The Schedule for Timbers to be a. follow.: feet ioZ'""'- ^ "'"'' '""^ "''^" '^ ''^' '•'"« -'J ""«" •- ^- " P^^od of 8. .mnjT v^ctooer I8t. 1911, and terminating September 30th, 1913 Agretlnl" w'tTeiHSrurrinTrok "''l ''''°'" '^*' ^''"' ^'""" -<>-« 'hi. kept in the CompanVsTffice ""'"' " '"""^ °^ *'''' A^'"'™*"^ ""^ ManS'Ind S~upS,tlTnT:rMLtlf:re C ^'"" '^".^l^ ^'«"''^"- °^ *»>« Witness : For "The Company": Thos. R. Stockett, Maiiagtr. f < J,"°*!*^ fiitvilAM, Superintendent. For ''The Men": Francis John (Chairman). Fred Wilson Edmund Richardson, Andrew Thomson, William Wardle. ApprctVcu : John L. Howard, President Western Fuel Company. :J7..'pii pir yiinl, coal to SniKDULE A. Minimi, Yahdauk ami Uav Rxtl^. No. 1 Mine. Mining : Upper Seam, (18 o«nU per ton. Lower Seam, 80 cents p<'r ton. Yardage: T'fPKR Sk.am-^- Ix'VoIh, $2..'iO p<'r yard iind foal. ('roHH Cutu, fi-lK) per yiiril unci I'mi). Levels, when Icng tliiin i'in-lii\lf "f lii'l«lit is in wliiti- r^ Company. Levels*, when more than nnr-liMlt' nf luiirlit i< in wlijtr ripil, $«,(M| |i,t yiird, coal to Company. Turning Stalls: '> yards long hy li' feet widi'. *1ii.ini ,i,|(1 rmd. Day Katks: Fire Hoss SiiotliKhters HrutticonuMi TimlK>rnu'n Timbermen llelpiT* Trackluyers Tracklayer llclperji Roadmen Drivers, Boss Drivers, Double Driver-i, Single Drivers, Boys ifl..">il Pushers Linemei Motormeu Motormen, Assistants $1 ..10 Engineers, Diagonal Slope Engineers, Endless Hope Winches ifl.lKt Rope Inspector Endless Ropes, Men *_>.•;(» Endless Ropes. Boy- »1.25 Rope Riders *1 ..lO Door Bo.vs Cagers Cagers, Assistants Miners Loaders .Machine Runners .l!;!.(Ml. if.!,; Drillers if :).i hi. .*:;.: Brushcrs 31 i|i:i.2r. :t.no :.'.t!0 :t.()0 2.6(> ■2.m 2.60 .'i.OO 2 . 7.5 2.60 to 2.2.5 2.60 3.00 2.75 to 2.25 2.76 2.25 to 2.60 3.00 to 2.75 to 1.75 to 2.60 1.00 3.00 2.00 3.00 2 . 60 !.'., 3.50 2 . 60 I.-., 3.. 50 i'.75 St SCrfEDlILK A.~Conlinu^J. Miiokprn f '"irmcii ' " 2 . flO Lnboiiror" 2.tl<» l"i|)otiifii 2.tt() I'liminiHMi •^••><» uii.l M.fK) RtHbl.-Mlrtl. 2 «<) i Mi ^'IMNC. >• ^,.^. ^^f, ,,,^ ,j^.^^._^ AffMNfl: N'"ir tun. '-■vvir Srain, »() ...Mits [vr ton. V«lli>\l,E: I'l'i.,.!, .s, ,M_ Snmo S,-1„m|i,1,. „. ['..r .\,, | M,',,., Ti i:m\(; Siai.i.>: •^■"'i.' S,.|„,lul,. ;., ,■„ y., , \|-,_, l'»i I; MIS: Fire. |{,„^ ''^Iii>tli«lit, r- nrnttir.iii,..- . . [[ I"i'iiImtiiii-|' Tiinli.'nii.Mi 1(,.1|„ ,.. Tnickliivi.r-. ... ''''•.■ir!;|„y,.r IF. !|., ,-' ..',,. Hn.'iclincii. ... I'rivrrs I!.--. ... '. ■• ■■ nriv.'i's l)oul>l,...' . . .' Hrivcr-, Sii.L'l.v ... I>rivor.s, l!,,v-. . Piiilior-;. *1'''' ' Uopo, !u*i vft.r Kriillo-s K, .,.,.- Winoli,- *i'.L'.-. I, Door Ii,..v.. . .. , *\.im t, Cngors Minrr.a I-oador-i. ...... -^'•"•liiiip IJimii. r-. ... Muchiiio ir.'liM-rs Drilhrs.. Ilrushers. . Muokors. . t 'ogmon . . . r.iibo I'uilipiM.ll. Doiir(>r<. . !•;., , .■Sl.iio. *:;.: .*.■;.( Ill jt:; ■ *; O" .IM> i .1:0 .■i . 1 Ml ■J .(!() 'J . t •> :.' . i;o ■J .!>» ;; on ■ .Vl'.Cll ai:.I •2 . (!0 n . no ■ i?.T.-. . i.nn I .IMI ;.'.Tr> •T.OO 2 . fin .■5.5(1 2 . no .". . r,n 2.:;; 2. CO 2.fiO ? <■/) .'5.00 2.fiO iiMi^misSm (Eihihit II.) MKMOHAHDUM OP AOKEEMENT entered into thii Sftth day of Unj, A.D. 1911, between the Ptciflo Cout Co»l Minei. limited (»on-Per»on«l Liability)! hereinafter called the (Company) of the Urit part, the EMPLOTEES of the Paciic Coaet Coal Minei, Ltd.. repreiented by a committee of 5 elected by the Employeei, hereinafter called the (Men) of the second part. WiTNKssKTii : That for iiii.l i„ r„i,.,.l.ratl(iii „f ill- *. ( , ml .•.iii.litioiu ho ^inaft.T mont.on,.l nn.l tho Miutusl ...ivnntuKf ..f fhi' I'.rti.-. i, i- „wr...| l.y an.l b,.tw-,„ tim 1 nrtu's hereto n« folloWH : — AW. The rate, tern;, mi.l v,„liti„M. in rffe,t ,,t .-^,.Mlh WellinKton Mine, ■ luniiK the month of Mny, 11M1. ,\,A „ti,.ue i,, efTe-t .lurinR tl„ term of this ..(rree- inciit. ... '*''<■'•<»"(■; Th.. system of no,.k„Ke lu-peetio,, ,w prmti^e.l i,t South WeliinRtoi, .\ .MM HhuU be ronti,...,.! with the t„l|„«iM« ,.e,u.ltie,. : Ip ,„ u„.l including 1(X) 11... ref„-e l-^ car. .louble d,„.k..^e; over KM. Il«. „n.l inehnlinK l"-" Ih*.. confiscation 01 car; over 200 lU. refuse per e.ir. dihmism.l iifter iiive^tiuntion. Thtrd.— The, ((Vmpan.v) Hjtr..'.. to a minimum r.iie of l|t:t..!0 per .shift for effi- cient minors in deficient plme«: it hein^ undor>to.,d tl...t the Mine M.uniger and the Superintendent shui be the judge uh to th.. al.ilit.v of the ,>«rtv to earn such mini- mum. FouWA.-Thu (Company) agree- th.it when n miner i- t»k,.n from the face to pcriorm day work he shall receive the Miner's dny rate. Fifth.— The Schedule for timherg to be as follows :— Split Striiigors, 75o. and 10 p.c. 14 ft. Stringers andlOnc Se«g li ft. long. *1.!5« »..^ 10 p.p. Sets over 9 ft. long. 12.00 and 10 p.e. Bridgcsticks, if peeled timber, san e dimension, ns ,ets >hall be paid same price Split bridgesticks, $l..-i<) and 10 p.c, provided that they are not less than 9 in. in diameter; provided that a Fire Boss may give permi-Mon for a less if necessary. .. f "■"'■~J*'? .M'"ing. Yardage and Day Kates shall l,e as »h..wn .ui schedule ! reto attached, and whieh schedule is made part of this atrreenient. Seventh.-The (Company) agrees to meet the f("onin:ittee) on a.iv matters relat- ing to this agreement or any new matters changing the status tlureof. Auv vn ,cv on the (( ommittee) to be tilled by a Pit Head ballot .„ ,h.. mine fr..m whi.-h th'e vacancy exists. The ((om.rittM.) to have the InuHlliMi: of the Cheek Weighmau-s luid tfie CJas ( ommittee funds. Eighth.— Th,- term of and duration of this npreein, „f shall he for a perio.l of ^ouryears. four niouths Six day.. I.egiuniug May .'.Ml,. \ D. n.,1. and tern.in.ting September ,TOth, A.I). 1P1.%. A'miiroi-<'il: C. ( . Mic iiinkh. If m,y mlv:,,„v ,,,• ,1.., , •,.,-,- i,. w.fr..s „t miy tin.o ol th.. X.,:.u,n„ Colli.Tios should tMko pla.v ,l„rn..; ,1„. 1„. ot .hn ngmn ont. tl..- (Coinpnny) .^nrs to kIvc the same si"'ri^iu!-ut. '••'""''"■■•"-' ^' "'•^^•^ ^''^•""'•'"^' «'"> ""^ ' Hn.ploy..os) „gr.e to give the JIlMNU AM) YuillU.K KaT1;s. Coal, piT ton. •;>(■. and H* [i.e. Cual .Slopo-^, iL' ft. wi.l.'. $L',.-.(( per yd. Coal, (is,., and 10 p.o. Levels, V2 ft. wide. .*i'.,-,0 per yd. Coal, ns^. „„J in p.,. ,,er ton ( ms^euts, U' ft. wide. ^±m per yd. Coal, CSe. and 10 p.c. per ton. Vorr^uy ^' ^'' "'''"■ '"'^ ""^ "'"' ''"'^ ""''• *'"" "'"^ ^*^ '"'• '"■' y"'* "°«' *" Co„-n!',r '" ''■ "''"'■ '"'"' ""' "'"' '"" '"••'^' *■'•"" ""J '" ''•^•- I'" y"d coal to Con.JS'' ^" "' "''^''' "'"" '"'" "'""' '""■''■ *'■"" "'"^ ^" •'•''■ "" •'■"•^ """' ^« Comprnj'' ^^ ^' ''■'''"■ ''"" '"'' "'"' '"'" "■'"'' '■'"''• *'••'''' "'"^ '" ''^•- "^"'" ^^'""^ ^""^ t° Brushing, $1.00 and 10 p.e. per ft. in depth per lineal yd. T ft. wide. All Brushing over :; ft. to 1, done by the Co., or by day by miners. ''y'co!,' for Hock- Slalh, IJ, to Id f,;-t iridi: One foot, stratified roek $i.no ami 10 p.e. p,.r yard Two f,M..t. stratified m.-k $2..'0 and 10 •• -^ Ihree feet, stratified nxk $.'!.40 and 10 " " Any plaees to be driven on Boy- 1.25 to 2.25 Net (Exhibit 111.) AGREEMENT between the Vanconver-Nanaimo Coal Mining Company, Ltd., and their Employeei. Agreement entered into on this fourtli dny of November, A.D. nineteen huudred and eleven, to come into force on the first day of December, nineteen hundred and eleven, for a period of two years ending November thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, between the Vancouver-Nanaimo Coal Mining Company, Limited, of the fir?t part and the Employees of the said Vancouver-Nai.aimo Coal Mining Company, Limited, reiirescnted by a committee of five, duly elected ut a mass meeting hehl on October thirty-first, nineteen hundred and eleven, hereinafter called the men of the second part. \\iTNKSSKTii: that for and in consideration of the several conditions hereinafter mentioned and the mutual advantages of the parties, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto us follows : Urst: that the rate per ton for n.ining in seams running from floor to floor, four feet and under, be paid at the rate of one dollar i,°r ton fiat rate, over four feet at the rate of eighty-two and one-half cents per ton flat rate. Secoml: that the company agrees where men arc working in difficent places and the management think they are efficient men, the company agree to make up wages to three dollars and thirty cents per day. Third: that the company agrees to meet the comn.ittee of five hereinafter men- tioned on matters relating to the agreement or on any new matters changing the states thereof t any time. All griev,. lees will have to be stated to the committee and the committee present the same to the management in proper order. Any vacancy in the committee of five to be filled at a duly called meeting of the underground employees of the company or by a pit head ballot at the mine and notice given to the management of the retiring committee man and the newly elected one by letter. Fourth : it is agreed by the committee for the men that new men accepting employment after the first day of December nineteen hundred and eleven shall endorse this agreement by their signature in a book containing a copy of this agreement and kept in the company's office. Fifth : the company agrees that when a miner is taken from the face to perform day-work, he shall receive the miners' day wage of three dollars and thirty cents per day. :^uth : that the following rates shall be paid as per schedule and agreement. Mining rates: coal, eighty-two and one-half cents per ton flal rate in stalls, levels, and cross-cuts four feet and over. In places four f(>et and under one dollar per ton flat rate. ^fining yardage, levels, two dollars and fifty cents, and coal when driven twelve feet wide, cross-cuts $2.00 per yard and coal when twelve feet wide. I/evels when less than one-half height is on white rock, $7.50 per yard, coal to the company. Levels when more than one-half in height is in white rock, $S.(K) per yard, coal to the company. 37 Rock: when rock is one foot thifk. $1.0<1 per ynrd. When rock is two feet thick, (^2.40 per yard. When rock is three feet thick, $4.00 i>cr yard. The above prices apply only to solid work with stalls twenty-one feet to twenty- •eren feet wide, skipping pillr.rs take half these rate. ^if^bcr Setting: Eight foot sets including collar and two legs, $1.00 each. Nine foot sets, including collar and two legs, $1.50 each. Eleven feet, four inches sets, including collar and two legs, $2.00 each. Planks: Eight foot plniiks, 50c. each. Ten foot planks, 75c. Twelve foot planks, $1.00 each. Where planks are substituted by split timber an nd.litio.ial 25c. shall be add.d to the pr.oes heretofore mentioned for planks, providing that the split timbot bo .quaro.I ana nroperly ?rt on legs; this work to be performed by the men. JJocKA'.r AND I.NSPECT.O.N-: Up to and including 50 lbs. of refuse per car, double over 100 lb?",- f"'" ""^ '''^'f''^ \' ^^'^ "^ ^"f"- I^" '■-' -'nfiLuion o ea over 100 lbs. ol refuse per ear, dismissal after investigation <''>':s: C X 4 cogs and G feet high, .$1.50 per cog. A\hcn ..vcr 6 feet high, 25e. per extra foot in height. overmaT """' '" '"'''"' "''"' """^' "'"' ''^'''"' *" ""^' ""'"^"^"1 "'' "'- «^-'>»" «"d Day Katk-; as Foll()\v.s : Fire Ross jj... ,. Shot Lighter. . .. .. .; ;; ;: ;; ;; :; ;; ;; ;; ;; •.;;-;; Brattieeman 2.(10 limberuian ,, „„ 'j.Kiy} I.MDi;H.\IAN "'■•'Tr ^-eo Iraeklnyers o — rp„ z . 1 ;> iRAtKI.AVKIlS Roadmen ' .. o'fin Drivers Boss Driver ,, „„ Double Driver o',,. Single Driver .........'! 9^0 p'^'f '• .. '.".$V.5o'to 2^25 f."^'^"' 2.60 Linemen g ^ Winch Drivers \\ "/.iV. 00 to 2." CO Ivopenders 2 g. ^"•''^'^y* ■.■;::::::: :: :: 1:00 J*"'r-- 3.00 ^-oaders 2 eo Machine Run-'or'- '' „' I>"llers '.■.■.■.;.■.■. gS Helpers ' " ^- ^^ ^^Z^''' .■.':: 2:60 ?"™ 2.60 htablemen a or. Pipen- n 2 CO Pumpmen ' ' ' ' ' ^' ^ per day. « (t 38 years, dated from and inoludinjT til Xovetnber thirtieth, nineteen Seventh : the additional 10 p.c. bonus is included on all heretofore mei ioned rates, excepting the schedule paid on coal. Be it known, that this agreement stn- ds f. December the first, nineteen hundred and el hundred and thirttcn, inclusive. Any change in tlio above agreement on either «ide must be placed before either party above mentioned, The Vancouver-Nanaimo Cvial Mining Company, Limited, of the first part, and the Employees of the Vancouver-Nanaimo Coal Mining Company, Limited, of the second part. Notice must be given in writing to either party concerned one month previous to the proposed alteration. Eighth: This agreement to be effective shall bear the signature of the manager and overman of the mine for the company and the committee of five for the men. Signed, sealed and delivered, the dny and year first above mentioned. Signed on behalf of the employee.!: Joseph Thompson", Harry McKENzrK, H. Ellis, James Cairns. William Calverlev, Committee. Witness: Wm. S.JIewson. Signed en behalf of the company: If. N. Freeman-, Manager. L. Saville, Overman. (Exhibit IV.) UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA— DISTRICT 28. Seattle, Wash., April 30, 1913. Mr. Robert Fibter, President District 28. riiifd :Minc Workers of America, Jsaiiaiiiif B.C. Dear Sir and Brother : A number of months ago .Xfr. John P. White. President of the United Mine a conf^re? ^7"""' ',""'"' "" ""'""^ °"""^ ""-"♦■"« -' ^'«~- Island to atte"^ L V "c "'ver"/r"'; " T," J'""*."^':-'"'"* "--i"*^- -o^l^i->« --onditions in the mines InstlaH . r A nt' '."""'""" ^'^'^'^^'^ "o response from the mine owners. smith Lo^ VT ," ^°u'"'"' ^',°"""""^ ^"^■'^^l ^''•^ "'"^ °^' ^'""'berland and Lady- m.th into a strike which has now lasted more than seven months. During this strike the men of Nana.n.o and South Wellington have not been called upon to ufTer any personal inconvenu.nce or Hnancial loss. However, the other companies o°>. rating Z he Island are co-operating with the Canadian Collieries Company in a ho ukss effort to defeat the men of Cumberland and Ladysmith I i " a noi ass ettort Therefore, using the authority given me by President White, and in order that we niay combat sohdar.t; with solidarity. I hereby instruct you to call a tS o al the men employed in and around all the mines at Xanainm. South Wcl ingtli an Jingle I ot. the strike to begin May 1st and to continue until a joint w rk ng gree ment between the United Mine Workers of District 28 and the mine oXr on Van- couver Island has been secure '"^"^''^ *« P'ot'-t fining property is permitted o work so long as the companies do not attempt to ship coal All other men should be urged to join the stri, ^ ' °^'^^^ You should also exert every effort to prevent unlawful or abusive tactics bv the oTlI t""*" K " T"*"'- """^ ^°" "'" «^'" '"«•"' " ''-^^"t -ff-t to secure he names of all men who refu.se to respond to the call to strike so th.y may be published throuT out Canada. Oreat Britain and the United States. puoiisnea inrougn- The men involved, union and non-union, will receive the tinancial si.nnnrt ^f *i,^ International Union as long as the strike lasts «Jnanc.al support of the This decision has been .-e..ched only after months of mature consideration The time IS now here for the men of Nanaimo and South Wellington to p.ove their worth If they show the same fighting spirit as their brothers of Cumberland and SdyZfth' Mayjst will see the dawning of brighter days for the mine workers on VanTuvt Yours fraternally, FRANK FARRINGTON, Representing International Union, U. M. W. of A. 89 (Exhibit v.) UNITED MINE WORKEES OF AMERICA— DISTRICT 28. April 30, 19in. Tlaving been of tho opinion for some time that in order to obtain any improve- ment ui wages an.l con.liti...is for tbo mine worker., of this Island, that it would bo nercs.ary for th.n, to act in unity, to bring all the pressure to bear on the operators tliat they could simultaneously, believing that the proposition submitted by our Dis- nrt ConventKu. through our Scale ron:mittee, to the representatives of tho different ompatnes should be considered by n conference of Scale Con,mittee« representing both the Operators and tiie Mn.ers. and since the Companies have ignored all our efforts to bring about a .•ont..rcnce and adopt, or amend and adopt, the proposition submitted an.l thereby secure an amicable and p<'aceful settlement of all our dilf^rences. I there- ore avail myself of the privilege granted by the International representative, Bro J'arr.ngton. and the recommendation of the convention hereinbefore mentioned, and declare a strike at all ot the coal mines on the Island, and ask nil miners to cease work until die ( ompa.ues concede them an advance in wages i-roporti.mate to the advanced .•ost of living, fair working conditions and an agreement specifying those wages and conditions ot employment -ai.l agreement to he entered into by and between the I nitcd .Mine ^^ orkcr. ot Anu-rica and the Coal Con panics of this District. RORKRT I-OSTKK, i'ffi,h-ni niahirt So. .>s\ r. .\r. ir. of a. (Exhibit VI.) GENERAL STRIKE After consulting the Managers of the different Collieries around Nanainio the parties signing themselves as a joint Committee have \T/J? ^ ™^*'"^ ^* ^^"^ Princess Theatre at 7 p.m. While not opposed to meetings of the miners, we beg to inform all employees in or around the mines that Has been Declared by the United Mine AV^orkers ot District NTo. ^8 and endorsed by the National And will continue until such time as the operators of this district enter into an Agreement with the United Mine Workers of America. BALLOT OR NO BALLOT Anyone going to work in these mines will be branded A SCAB ROiBERT FOSTER President I)it«triot No. 28 United Mine W^orkers of America 41 (ExKihii VH.) THE SITUATION IN VANCOUVER ISl KSD. (By Frank Farringtoii, in the United Mine \Vork-T»' Journal, March 97, 1918.) " Six months have passed since the ranadinn Collieries Company, operatinfc on V'anoouver Inland, British Coliimhia, lockcxl out 1,500 of. our mcmbfrs who were employed in their mines at Cumberland and Ladysniith. While the labour prea* of British Columbia has carried explanatory artieles eoiicernintr this trouble, little h«» been written relatini? thereto for the rniti-tl ^fine Worhfrs' Joiinuil and other labour papers throii^hout the Fnited States, and. an a consequence, a Rreat majority of the rank and tile of the Miners' Union know little or tiDthiiiff of the importance of this contest, the causes leading up to it, the ditlii'ultics emouiitcred since its inception, or the influences that have been used to defeat the miners in this section of the Pacific northwest who are struppliup for a (rrenter nieiisnri' of the thinRs tn which they are entitled. " Vani'ouvcr Islaml is rich with almost inexhaustible deposits of the finest Quality of bituminous coal yet discovered thrnuKh the Straits of (ieorjriu and Juan do Fiiea into the markets of British Columbia, Alaska, Mexico, San F'raneisco, Portland and .Seattle, in eumpetition with the union-mined coal of WasainfTton and Eastern British Columbia. An idea of the advantage this coal has in the markets of the Paeltie Coast will be gained from the knowledge that union- mined coal produced in the Roslvn-Cle Eluin field of Washington, has been entirely excluded from the local Seattle iniirket beei. cse it eininot be transported over the Cas- I'ade mountains and meet the coir.petition of Vancouver Island coal. Again, Oregon with Portland as its chief base of distribution, rweives almost all of its coal supply from the same source. Cominfr, as it does, down the coast and entering the Columbia River at Fort Stevens, whence it reaches Portland and is sold at a price that prohibits competition from the adjoining state of Wasliington, and this notwithstanding there is an import duty of 4."i cents per tim (in all coal coming from the island into the I lilted States. " However, this is not tlu' worst feature of a bad condition. There is another .inglo to it that must have the consideration of the Tnitetl Mine Workers of America. Fxtei'ding along the Pacific coast of British CoJi-mbia six hundred miles, from Van- couver Island to Prince Rupert near the .\rcti.'> Circle, is one immense bed of high- grade coal which has beei. monopolizectiticin but that cannot be, for the reason that the much 9ui)erior quality of this eonl will nlwiiys bur outside I'ompetition from its own zone. "The duty devolving upon the I'nitcd Mine Workers of .Vincrica hei'ausc ot this condition, is to organize Van<'ouver Island and adjacent territory, raise tlic standard of employment anranization, were being intamougly fieeced and subjecter, 1011, and a district organization w.Ts formed. From the beginning the men took kindly to the organization, which grew rapidly in luimerical streiigtb, and there was every prospect of a substantial organization being I'stablished. when, during September. I'.tl'J, the Canadian (^ollieries Company, eviili'iitly fearing their power was passing, began singling out and discriminating against the more active of the men. Peaceful over- tures trom the men for an explanation of the management's action met only with arrogant rebuff. This sort of treatment was tolerated until it could no longer be endured without resentnient, and after every peaceful means of redress had been exhausted the men decided to show their opposition to such injustice by taking a holi- day, which they did, and after which the company refused to allow them to return to work unless they would sign individual contracts (old iron-dads so familiar to the men in the Cnited States), the terms of which would make the signers little more than bondmen, and which would result in the voluntary dissolution of their union. This the men refused to agree to. and the fight has been on ever since. " During the jirogress of this struggle all the modern instruments used tfi defeat men engaged in industrial struggles elsewhere have beeen able to produce any considerable part of their original tonnage, or to discourage the men involved, and if solidarity, fidelity and courage are a ha,-binger of success the end will see the T^nited Mine Workers of America established on Vancouver Island." m