xt7kh12v6014_46 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7kh12v6014/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7kh12v6014/data/2008ms006.dao.xml Benham Coal Mines. (Benham, Ky.) 151.0 Cubic feet 302 Boxes The Benham Coal Company records (151 cubic feet, 302 Boxes; dated 1911-1973) focus primarily on the early years of Benham Coal through the 1940s, including office files, Employee Benefits Association records, files on accidents and safety, and photographs. archival material English University of Kentucky This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Physical rights are retained by the owning repository. Copyright is retained in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. For information about permissions to reproduce or publish, contact the Special Collections Research Center. Benham Coal Company Records African American coal miners--Kentucky--Harlan County Coal miners--Kentucky--Harlan County Coal mines and mining--Appalachian Region Coal mines and mining--Appalachian Region--History. Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Benham--History Company towns--Kentucky--Benham Benham Employees Association text Benham Employees Association 2015 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7kh12v6014/data/2008ms006/2008ms006_11/2008ms006_11_5/10508/10508.pdf 1937 1937 1937 section false xt7kh12v6014_46 xt7kh12v6014 k s .4 ·V *;4V. ·r‘*‘·‘
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Conference between representatives of Renham Employees Association and the
Wisconsin Steel Company-Conference Room, Vain Office-Benham, Kentucky-
August 14, l937-l0:O0 A. Y.
";.._-nan-!-·' .
PRESENT
BENHAM EJELUYEES ASSoGlnTl0H ,
C. R. Hern, President
George Shirer, Vice President _ ‘
Eddie C. fodges, €ecretary—Wreasurer
Charles Hightower, Stenographer _
Eligah Jordon Ueming Fewbush
Alfred Trent Charles Slagle
Charles W. Patterson Roe Fannon
Jesse France Elmer Denny
Cecil Cuinn Roy L. Templin
Alfred Farmer ni rhiteaker
Foe Sparks Berry Joods
J. C. Barr Baze Nall
E. H. Sturgill Qtis Ellison
Elijah E. Stidham Oscar France
WISCCLGIU STEEL CCITAYY
R. E. Calbreath, Superintendent
J. 3. Turns, issistant Superintendent
George R. Luke, Gen’l line Eorenan
J. J. Gregory, faster jechanic
I. U. Mowat, Employment Kanager
The meeting was called to order by Mr. C. R. Kern, [resident, Benham
Employees Association.
Ur. Kern announced that the conference was held pursuant to the request of
the Association dated August l2th and acceptance by the Company under date of
August l5th. The consent election held August 2, 1937 by the representatives of
the Fational Labor Board, he said, had definitely established the Association as
the exclusive bargaining agency for the Denham employes and the purpose of the
meetinv was to E ' ‘ ~ · V · - , _
5 nltlate f°rmal °°l*9CtlV€ b&?3&1¤1¤s béiwéen the Association and
the C0mp&ny pursuant to the election· to come to come d * ·
’ ° · un 91`S~·¤¤d1¤s regarding
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procedure and metnods and to dispose of any problems affecting the employes that
tne association representatives might want taken up.
The committeemen present, he continued, were elected by the employes to
represent them. Each representative, he explained, particularly represented
employes in a definite section, crew or group and the three officers present were
not representatives. The eommitteemen had ideas that would be presented to the
management and problems and grievances would have tc be taken up in which
differences of opinion might arise and it was their intention so far as the
association was concerned to make their dealings business—like and effective. The
association members, be said, would endeavor to forget disappointments, and arguments
at the close of meetings and would not bear any ill-will toward the management. on
the other side, however, he thought tnat no committeopan nor member should be dis-
criminated against by the management because of any matter which it was Lis duty to
bring up.
The association, be said, would like to have a xontnly conference with the
company, preferably on the second saturday morning of each month, to which
Mr. Galbreatb agreed.
Another matter Ar. Hern presented was formal notification Ly tne nanagement
that the association was recognized by the company as the sole bargaining agency
and the posting on the bulletin boards of an official list of committeemen who
were designated by the association as representatives. Hr. Galbreatb inquired what A
sections or crews the committeemen represented. He stated that when the association
was formed, after due investigation by the management, the company, on proof that a
majority of employes werexnanbers, extended recognition to the association as a
sole bargaining agency for all employes. Tne situation continued, he said, until
the Ynited Vine Workers filed a petition with tne labor board for an election and the
consent election was carried out. as a result of the election, tue Association,
Ur. Galbreatn said, was the exclusive bargaining agency for all employes for the purpose
-3-
of collective bargaining in respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment
or other conditions of employment. He added that the results of the election
had been confirmed by letter by Hr. Philip G. Phillips, Regional Director,
National labor Board, Cincinnati. He also said that the company would make a
formal announcement to the organization as requested.
A discussion was instituted by fr. Bern as to whether, in future conferences
between the association and the company, it would be agreeable to both organizations
for all association cormitteemen to be present at each monthly conference. he
explained that many grievances could be disposed of outside of the meetings and that
business coming up in the conferences would consist chiefly ofgrievances mxich could
not be settled otherwise and matters concerning employes generally. Several
association committeemen and members of the management discussed the matte:. Bome
thought that a smaller number could more effectively transact business and more
quickly reach solutions to the problems but it was finally mutually agreed that all
association committeemen would attend until suchitime as it was found by experience
that some other method would be more suitable.
It was also agreed to that grievances and other matters affecting individual
anployes and groups would be taken up first with the immediate foreman and then on
through the regular supervisory organization. He mentioned two or three cases that
had already been disposed of by taking the matter up with the foreman in immediate
charge of the work.
Ur. Fern announced that in response to request of their members, the
association was investigating through a committee, the possibility of furnishing
minutes of meetings and other information to the members in printed form. several
printing firms, he continued, were being contacted to ascertain what the cost
would be and in order to make the cost to the association as small as possible, it
was planned to try to sell space in the booklet to the Benham Credit Union,
7 Y
-4-
Benham Burial Association and possibly to merchants. He inquired of Nr. Galbreatn
whether the company would purchase space for safety campaigns and safety and
inspection reports. Nr. Galbreath replied that the matter would be taken up. i
. ‘Tr. Galbreath congratulated the association upon winning the election and said 1
that while the association was recognized as the exclusive bargaining agency, the Q
company, according to The Qational Labor Relations ict, would recognize any individual
employe or group of employes in the matter of grievances. Xe announced that two
bulletin boards would be provided by one company for the use of employes and that
employes desiring to post notices or other material should make the necessary
arrangements with the Bmployment Department. Tr. Kern stated that the association {
was having four bulletin boards constructed at their own expense which would belong U
to the association and be for their exclusive use.
Conference adjourned at ll:45 R. I.
J. J. Nowat
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Memorandum of meeting with C. R. Harm and J. F. Phillips of the
Bannnm Empl0yas' Assccinticn und G. R. Luke, J. L. burns, and R. H. Galbroath
of the wisconain Steal Company on Friday afternoon, Sept. 3 at four 0'cl0ck.
The Association rwprnsnntativnn brought up the quastinn mf paying
for slate in all scott nn cf the mine wharu the conl heights were approximately
uniform with the iden of waunruting thm mine into santicnw or motor runs and
adding all the slate ·mrk on each sactiwn or motor run to the price per ten
of coal Mud of allowing all cnnl lundarn the suma ruin per tcm in auch one of
these indivl&ual xcctlmnn or Motor runs without regard tn the amount of slate
to be handled by auch individual coal loader. ,
it new puintwd out by tha management that n Situatirn ~f this kind
wouli bc very unxutivfactwvg %u0 to the fact that cwrtnlx coal lnnécrs 0n ’
auch ¤na of thzsa imdivi§unl sactigns or motor runs uculé be dxlng more slate
wcrx than others nad consequently receiving lasn pay. The iéan was, therefore,
more or lass nbznicnné on the wart of the nasuclation rapresautativns.
The dif?ar&nté¤l bmtwncn Bnnhmn ann Lynch of 3¢ par tax on low coal
rntas was discussed at lcnqth, also thorn wma n rather lcngtiy discussion
about the 5“ Q? drww ulvtw OT rock ukich was being handled without pay at
henna , whawaaw at Lynch tha company was paying for all the slats handled.
It mum pointed nut tm the tsxonintiwn representatives that the Banhnm
coal rates nova Substantially kighnr tHa¤ the coal rntnn in the rant nf tha
Harlan fiuld. It can also pnintnd out t¥uA.tEm average tems por loader nt
Denham, which was lb tons pnr man npprnxiwutely For all the coal and 14 tons
par man in high coal and 10 tnnn par mu: in low coal, www cnn?iQnrnMly higher
than the whole Inrlnn finld mn un average uné that Lhasa prmiwcin; rates wars
also higher than tan Lynch yTOGUG1H§ rutns, which was hvnught about by the
efficient lay—0ut of ?hc mine wud tha ndaquatn service of the coal louder by
placaumnt of mine cnrn on tnn vnrimua motor runs.
It was pointed 0ut tn thu nuuccintinn representatives that thc
first five inches of draw slntm in the Harlan field was not being pnli for.
Itvwns docidad that Hr. Luka ann Mr. Gnlbranth would make an
inventignticn into the cunuiticns at Lynch ?nr the purpose of finding out
if possible whathar or not working conditions and cartnin rates at Lynch
are of bsttnr advnntngn than they nrc at Bnnhmn.
At this mnvting wa suggested thnt thu company purchase the four
bulletin boards which were in the prncans 0F being rmde for the gsncclntiou
For the purpcmn of being ucsd by all the nmplcyns. Mr. havn umn Fr. Phillipa
Said that t?my wxuld take this up at their m0¤ting saturday morning and give
us an answer. lt was pointed nut tu them that the ccmunny would not be
partial toward them in all¤win~ them the exclusive usa of bulletin beards
without the U. H. L. being given the exclusive use of tnair own bulletin
boards. They stated that they were perfectly willing to lat the Credit
Union nnd the nurial Association or anybody else usa ttm boards with the
exception nf the U. E. n. la stated to them thnt the U. M. W. had given up
-3- i
the lodgo hall and had quit routing it. They were also of the opinion that
it would bo vary unlikely that tho U. M. M. would wqut to post any further -
notices in tho near futuro, however they statod that their momborship did
not like tho iden of hoving Association notices and U. L. A. notices posted
on the owns bulletin boards and they did not like the idea of the possibility
of this happening in tho future. Ja expect to novo a reply from thom next
weak.
dqh
d
jcptcmbcr 13, 1957.
R. E. Galbreath, iuvt.
In compliance with your request, we are listing below the number cf items
discussed in the meeting with Benhmn &¤pl0y0s’ Association saturday, lent. llth.
Messrs. ¥ern and Jhiteakcr reported that they had investigated c c¤m—
plaint of some cowl loaders that u motormnn (James lighficld, écctlcn l0,
"A” m¤t¤:·xmn — °th left face entry) was accepting presents cr qratutitiss
in the funn nf ciqcrcttes, whiskcy, groceries and u new lunch pail. They
skid soma of twc loaders had complained that they could not ret the same
number of cars unless they gave this mctormun "tips." Ar. Vern said
that Hr. Wcdlcmcry, nina clerk, had check up on tds cars loaded by the
men on this pcrticuluy motor run and found that there was very little dit- »
fcrcncc in thc number mf cars loaded by thc various mc:. It was @120
branch: out in tas discussion taut there wa; al cys n iiffcrwucc in thc
tcwncqc lcwdcd in wendinxs, round cmd pillars.
The subject nt ccwl loaders ~b0 were nn»i~umd extra motor; veinr
into the mine early www discussed at considerable lcnvth. Nr. Patterson
scid no hud noted that a number of man in Section 9 worm coins in early
and had not been attending the Tuesday mornin; wrox; sxfcty mcstinqs.
mr. Barr said Rc had Occasion to #0 in amply quite nftqn nnd Ewd scan
some of the >mctinn 9 mcn toinq in with their rotor: n~ curly as 5:5C
A, N, The chief ccmglmlnt in thi; connection seemed to ba that the
loadcrn using cxtvm motors had been takin; the empty cars cmd there was
not n sufficient numbnv of cars left for t¥c ntwcr lccddrs who went in
on the mun—trip and stwrtcd to work at the rcwulnr time. Also that the
loaders uninc extra motors ·i¤. fare workin; conmidercblc rmxn than seven
hours {cr mhitt which vwvm t¥cm a %i#tin¤t ¤dvcnt2~c fzuyxttc standpoint
of earnings.
Yhc ncurly yltc of y»g ‘-=. {bv Hydra-Mhaly nlctc anuvvl ozarntors was
brcuwht up ?y‘1J2ssr¤;. *erm and Fawncn who acid they gud mwdc an in-
vcmticmticn and 60und that the rate pnld at Ecnhum was the conveyor
loading rata ixstcnd cf the rates spccified for mccxuniccl loaders.
Hccsrc;. Barr éwd Tulip »~ld mechanical lo dur rate wma wriwinully the
game c; zh: Tape hogs rate yer Many wt ”cmHwu lnd that +hc sure or
equivalent rate »u4 mow bclnq peLi>rbiqnui¤
Mr. Gwinn avid lame of thc gumpars were nnwelwiwixr cbuut fucc bosses
Gnd zcction ”0r0n¤n nwnpini 0n idle day: fud ;wndnym, .*hv? hkwrcwqhly
dlscwssinc thiv utttcr, it vcd hrcuvht out thwt thc yumperm had no abjec-
tiun tw forcmvx ¤xd ?#cc HOJEGS doing tMi¤ wwzk Vvt mwzcly JQLECQ to work
longer hours dnd More day: par week to incrcvwc their own ecrnivcu. It
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