◆ SpookStack

7 ae ai RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL INTERVIEW Vy U.M.W. could not get a contract at Mine “BY a though, because they did not have bargaining rights wend de at the mine. At this time the agitators named cbove began talking to the miners explaining that the miners would got this raise end be better off if they joined U.M.i. These men were always around the mine company offices, even after hours and on Sunday mornings, which indicated to me that the company wes behind it all. These men were also seen going to U.M.i. hoadquarters so P.M.A,. expelled about 5 of them for spying activities, but the company refusod to fire them end this was the cause of the strike. "I signed a petition to have these spies tricd before the Union body and to be dismissed for their spying activities. "The day of the strike I wes londing coel and I saw some cars being partly loaded and I knew the men were doing this in an effort to force the company to dismiss the spies. I begen loading cars short clso at that time. About two o'clock thet afternoon we wero celled cut on strike, when we came up the shaft Frank Austin made some slurring remark and this caused a slight comaction but no violence occurred. The spies went immediately to the cffice of the company and after a short time of milling sround we came on home. SAbout two woeks after the strike P.M.4. circulated a petition to show that P.l.4. had a majority. John Schneider and others made a house to house canvas of the miners to got signatures, They made no threats of any kind to get these signatures, and cach man was required to sign in his own handwriting. 1 bea heard U.M.W. also circulated a petition that summer but no one Bien it Bign it ch 2 asked me e "In September, 1937, I saw in the paper thet Mine "B" was to re~ cpen so the next morning I called the mine to see if there was work becouse I could not hear the whistle from my home. They said there was work 60 I went to the mine to work but I saw thet the expelled spies were there to go to werk too and I refused. That mcrning we nll went to the office and the company gave each men a peper supposed to explain why no P.M.A. had no con- tract. Falsctti lod the spies to the shaft and when I saw this I refused Facade = wns me Yom ne A; e re ve to work with thom as did the rest of the P.M.4. members, ‘se begon picketing in a day or 80 and this ecntinued for about two months until we were served with a court injunction. "J voted in the N.L.R.B. election in Dec. 1937 end in my estimation it was a fair election. No threats or viclence occurred that I kmow of. There were some pamphlets distributed at the election but I refuscd tc take =» 93 =