Part 19

The Joint Committee on Industrial Coöperation and Conciliation may, of their own initiative, bring up for discussion at the joint conferences, or have referred to them for consideration and report to the president or other proper officer of the company at any time throughout the year, any matter pertaining to the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes, terms and conditions of employment, maintenance of order and discipline in the several camps, company stores, etc.

8. Duties of Joint Committee on Safety and Accidents.

The Joint Committee on Safety and Accidents may, of their own initiative, bring up for discussion at the joint conferences, or have referred to them for consideration and report to the president or other proper officer of the company at any time throughout the year, any matter pertaining to the inspection of mines, the prevention of accidents, the safeguarding of machinery and dangerous working places, the use of explosives, fire protection, first aid, etc.

9. Duties of Joint Committee on Sanitation, Health and Housing.

The Joint Committee on Sanitation, Health and Housing may, of their own initiative, bring up for discussion at the joint conferences, or have referred to them for consideration and report to the president or other proper officer of the company at any time throughout the year, any matter pertaining to health, hospitals, physicians, nurses, occupational disease, tuberculosis, sanitation, water supply, sewage system, garbage disposal, street cleaning, wash and locker rooms, housing, homes, rents, gardens, fencing, etc.

10. Duties of Joint Committee on Recreation and Education.

The Joint Committee on Recreation and Education may, of their own initiative, bring up for discussion at the joint conferences, or have referred to them for consideration and report to the president or other proper officer of the company, at any time throughout the year, any matter pertaining to social centers, club houses, halls, playgrounds, entertainments, moving pictures, athletics, competitions, field days, holidays, schools, libraries, classes for those who speak only foreign languages, technical education, manual training, health lectures, classes in first aid, religious exercises, churches and Sunday schools, Y. M. C. A. organizations, etc.

11. Annual and special joint meetings.

In addition to the district conferences in each of the several districts, there shall be held in the month of December an annual joint meeting, at a time and place to be designated by the president of the company, to be attended by the president and such officers of the company as he may select and by all the employees’ representatives of the several districts. At this meeting reports covering the work of the year shall be made by the several joint committees and matters of common interest requiring collective action considered. A special joint meeting of any two or more districts may be called at any time upon the written request to the president of a majority of the representatives in such districts or upon the president’s own initiative, for the consideration of such matters of common interest as cannot be dealt with satisfactorily at district conferences. Notice of such special joint meetings shall be given at least two weeks in advance.

III

THE PREVENTION AND ADJUSTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

1. Observance of laws, rides and regulations.

There shall be on the part of the company and its employees, a strict observance of the Federal and State laws respecting mining and labor and of the company’s rules and regulations supplementing the same.

2. Posting of wages and rules.

The scale of wages and the rules in regard to working conditions shall be posted in a conspicuous place at or near every mine.

3. No discrimination on account of membership or non-membership in labor or other organizations.

There shall be no discrimination by the company or by any of its employees on account of membership or non-membership in any society, fraternity or union.

4. The right to hire and discharge, and the management of the properties.

The right to hire and discharge, the management of the properties, and the direction of the working forces, shall be vested exclusively in the company, and, except as expressly restricted, this right shall not be abridged by anything contained herein.

5. Employees’ right to caution or suspension before discharge.

There shall be posted at each property a list of offenses for commission of which by an employee dismissal may result without notice. For other offenses, employees shall not be discharged without first having been notified that a repetition of the offense will be cause for dismissal. A copy of this notification shall, at the time of its being given to an employee, be sent also to the president’s industrial representative and retained by him for purposes of future reference. Nothing herein shall abridge the right of the company to relieve employees from duty because of lack of work. Where relief from duty through lack of work becomes necessary, men with families shall, all things being equal, be given preference.

6. Employees’ right to hold meetings.

Employees shall have the right to hold meetings at appropriate places on company property or elsewhere as they may desire outside of working hours or on idle days.

7. Employees’ right to purchase where they please.

Employees shall not be obliged to trade at the company stores, but shall be at perfect liberty to purchase goods wherever they may choose to do so.

8. Employees’ right to employ checkweighmen.

As provided by statute, miners have the right to employ checkweighmen, and the company shall grant the said checkweighmen every facility to enable them to render a correct account of all coal weighed.

9. Employees’ right of appeal to president of company against unfair conditions or treatment.