The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-07-18

F&
This is a sentence that most of the readers
Of the MINER have seen in many places
throughout the city within the past ten
days. It has been sent forth by a bare
majority OF the fifteen II twenty persons
who comprise the Butte Typographical
Union. These gentlemen imagine that they
have a grievance with THE MINER and are
doing everything they can to do the paper
injury. They are making a foolish effort
to induce other labor organizations to join
them in the movement.
Since they have had so much to say con-
corning the matter, it may be well for us to
make q plain statement Of the facts in the
case.
When the present management assumed
control OF The MINER it found the Office to
be non-Union. The old foreman was at
once displaced and a new one-who was a
Union man-appointed, with instructions
to employ Union men as rapidly as vacan-
| cies occurred. This was done without the
knowledge OF the local Union, which was
then very weak. The new management ap-
preached the Union with a view OF turning
the Office over to it's members and througha
committee arranged to do so as speedily as
possible. The advances had all been made
by The MINER and were unlocked for by
the Union. The office WAS then "opened' to
Union men and three OF them were en-
ployed at once. No definite date was fixed
for the change, but the following letter was
read to the men employed by us:
OFFICE OF DAILY MINER PUBLISHING Co.,
BUTTE. Montana, June y, 1852
To the Chapel of H MINER Office, suite, n. 1.
GEN LEMES: II is the intent'oi OF the man,
agement OF H MINER to restore the news room
to the typographical Uni n.
II is the desire of the management tnat al our
employees shall join the local Union. 1t IS, now
ever, not our intention 70 GoeIce an ons ,, ~ .h saiI
fall upon any of our present employees In conse-
quence of this change of policy. These who can-
not, from conscientious rea-ons or other causes,
join the Union, vii, be gwen ample time In WHICH,
to find other Positions.
This change of policy is made from conscie n
ti5us motives. aud lot becau-e of any dlssatisfac-
with our present force To al our employes
we d sire 10 return our thanks f0i their falthiOt-
uess ard unif rm Courtesy, AID to express the
hope that they may ali zee their way Clear to join
in reorganizinga aud building up the local Print
es' Union and all remain in our service.
For THE MINER PUBLISHING Co.,
By &. y. Ziegenfuss,
Editor.
1t was our intention to give the old en-
ample time to join the Union or
ind positions elsewhere. No sooner,
however, had this letter been published to
,ur men than the members OF the Union
dictatorial and demanded that the
.hange be made Immediately. A meeting
vas called three days later, June 25th,
,lr:,l NJ, Z;ouo,f,Sc nffonJol ,1non ouroa- |
nent. At this meeting he agreed, on behalf
II The MINER Publishing Company, that
10 the first day OF August next the office
,hould be made a Union office absolutely
who could not join the Union
! months time in which to find other stu
The time could not lave been
because OF contracts and guar
lntees.
In the face OF all the good will that the
management had shown, the concessions it
lad made and it's willingness to make more,
he Union the same evening sent us the fol-
owing communication:
OFFICE OF CORRESPONDING '~EcRE7AkY.}
BUTTE TYPOGRAPHICAL UNIOS No. 12".
BUTTE, Montana, June Is, 1875
Editor OF e Dai'y Miner,
SIP: At a sp cial meeting of the Butte Typo
graphical. No. 126. held this evening, June 25th,-
I was resolved as the sense of this meeting that
he condition Of trade demands an imme liaJe
construction of al Offices under the ju1isdic-
ion of this Union by Monday, June 80 1855.
This action has been taken after mature delib-
ration. We have now 4 supply OF competent
;nion printers who can fill all offices to The salts
of prOprietors.
.rd feeling confident that we can supply a bet
er class Of wHkmen than the non-Cnion print
,rs now in your employ.
B. T. U. No. 126.
To this WI could not accede. The first
OF August was the earliest time at
which, we could make the change. The fol-
owing night the Union men employed in
5he office were drawn out-much against
heir will. All the Union men in the office
the time denounced the action OF the
Union as foolish and as an outrage.
There was no other cause of complaint.
The wages were satisfactory-25 per cent.
higher than any other paper in Butte pays.
With the system OF measuring work no
was found, nor with the hours.
The idea was simply to get control OF the
,ffice and to get it al once-without any
to the losses it might entail on
he owners.
These are the plain, unvarnished facts in
,rief. We confidently submit them to the
and business men OF the
amp, to say whether or no we are
vrOng.
The office is open to Union men. They
work here if they wish, at better wages
han they can earn elsewhere. They have
out of their own accord, rathert than
sait a month to obtain absolute control.
The office is a non-Union Office only be-
ause the Union made it so. When the
members OF the Union want it changed
hey can do so, by a mere resolution.
This result was brought about by nine
men, one of whom had been in Butte but
day.
Is there any blame to attach to us?
lave we shown II spirit hostile to organ
zed labor? We submit the matter to the
easonable ~workingmen OF the camp.
To show our confidence in the business of
ur position and our willingness to do right
we are wrong, we have proposed to SUBJ
nit the whole question to three persons
he President OF the Miners Union, the
hief officer in this district OF the Knights
i Labor, the two to select an upright, just
man to be the third. If they will
ay that we are Wrong, we will submit and
whatever recommendation they may
ave to make. The Printers Union has
eclined this proposition. Why isn't it
air?
The Washington Post has the following ,
o say OF the appointment of Mr.. Hauser
IS Governor of Montana: "Some OF Mr..
leveland's appointments owe their pecu-
lar %luster, not only to the eminent fitness
t the appointees, but in a still greater de- !
rec to the notorious unfitness OF the place
removed. In this category must