What was left out was part of the explanation of why a majority of workers at the three mines voted to accept a contract that included big concessions, including a weakening of seniority protection in job assignments and recall from layoffs.

The article included the fact that company threats to hire permanent replacements and close the mines were an important influence in pressuring the miners to vote yes. What was left out were the following paragraphs:

"Many miners said workers who were wavering, but decided in the end to vote yes, were influenced by the stance of the representatives from the United Mine Workers International in favor of the contract.

"Frank Hasquin, a longtime miner and stalwart of the strike, put it this way, `If the International representatives are telling the public in press interviews they hope the contract will be ratified, miners understand it makes it harder for us to win support for a continuing fight on something like seniority.' "

Please print this letter with this additional point, since without it, the explanation is incomplete.

Betsey Stone

Chicago, Illinois  
 
 
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