◆ SpookStack

RE; JOHN L, LEWIS, ET AL Fat raarn "I knew the following men who were members of the P.M.Ad., but who were sympathetic for the UMM and cone liue who were agitators for the UMW at Mine B in the spring of 1937; Joe Albanese, Andrew Schrelevious, vale Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony Plotch, John Ananias, "I feel that Oscar Falcetti knew the agitating was going on and I heard that he was informed of it, but he did not take any action. Prior to hay 11, 1937, the PKA trial Board tried several of the above mentioned men, charging them with disloyalty to the union and several were expelled a short time before May 11, 1957. JI do not know how Falcett was informed that these men were agitating for UMW. I do not recall attending the PHA meeting of May 11, 1937, and did not hear about addi- tional men being expelled. "Tl knew that coal cars were being shorted on May 12, 1937, but I do not know why. I was a digger at Mine B. I never received any instructions to load cars short in my room, which was Box in the West side of the mine. Sometime in the late eftermnoon on May lc, 1937, I was notified it was quitting time by the driver. I kmew it was early, but thought sometime had broken down. When I got to the top, I was told there was a strike as “lshoff would not sign a contract. "J did not know the details of the wage scale trouble in 1937 with the exception that the PA officials advised un that Elshoff had signed a retroactive contract that would pay back pay ee of April 1, 1937. I never heard the UMW would be able to get a better wage acale arrangement than the PUA. "I helped picket at Hine B off and on for several weeks in 1937. I only went back to Mine B one time during the shut down to go to work, which I believe was in September, 1937. I heard the mine was going to cpen by the end of the month. ‘When I got to the mine the UW orgenizers were in the company office. I heard that only UMW men were going to work. The mine did not open. “\ihen the mine opened in November 1939, I went back for two days, got my tools and quit. I quit because J thought there was going to be trouble at the mine. Na one at any time asked me to join the UMW, but I knew UMW men were trying to sign up miners. "I never heard there was a fire at the mine from 1937 to 1939. I signed the PaA petition of hiay 26, 1957 to show I was a member of that union. I do not recall any other petitiona. I voted in the first NLRB election on December 15, 1937 and as far as I kmow it was fair. J did not - lil - oom |