In other words, they would be giving up 50 percent of the money they have divided among themselves and also used as their strike fund.
With a strike fund estimated at $100 million, the union is prepared to pay strikers $150 a week.
They have no strike funds and, they say, not much money in their personal bank accounts.
But they turned down a strike fund administered by the federation.
The mine workers union, which has about 65,000 active members around the country, began the walkout with a strike fund of almost $100 million.
A strike fund was set up and some newspapers collected donations from readers.
The 1901 system required every local union and the central committee to create strike funds.
The strike fund went broke in 1994 and benefits were eliminated.
This year's $30 million is being held as part of its 1990 strike fund.
He established the union's first strike fund and quickly amassed an $85 million balance.