Telegram-herald., 1886-05-15
WAGE WORKERSSPtAK
An Address from the Furniture
Workers Association
gHlliTIlla9lE 88ElGa Or FAITH
= Request That Manufactures Stand
81 the Eight Hour sYstem-Th-
Enp.oyes Sound a Note
o. Waroiag.

AZ special meeting u the furniture
workers. helI lass n.sht the isllosing adj
dress % the public vas presented and anan-
imously aiogte1
Ne the furniture employees OF Grand
Rapids. wishing to sUliEaten The general
pubic regarding lhe adoption of Ihe present
eight houf systems SO hereby uaae the
f3aoNins siatea1euE EARLY iu March "a
COMMITTEES %, ID A. i5f r.. ~ + walled upon
tae iurnilqFe mSnuhsetarers lu regard 10
shortening the h0GFs ~ labor. After due
consideration The furniture manufacturers
thought taFofablv Of the movement, and
shortly after that VI " iidiloalb canle out
Boa al article ln tae daily payers strongly in
favor of the eight hour Htovement. showing
al the p0lnts whereby the workmen
soaid be benefited and said that
bis shop would be an eight
hour shop by May l. That set the ball
rolling the men were compelled % face the
music shop meetings we're held. conference
cammIiiees appointed from each shop tO
confer With ukecommlttees from the Manu-
lecturers Association Al the second meet
ing Of the conference committees held i'm
mediatelv after the Chicago COM entiOn,
the committee on tbe part 81 the manuiac-
tureIs reported that they had adopted the
eight hour system az the Chicago c0nveu-
The question and, fuuh-rmore, that Grand
Rapids bad been instrumental in bringing
about the result Of the "a i0puou OF eight
hours % constitute day : work. They
then informed the committees ON
Use part Of the employees that they
we're willing and ready 20 start up
Monday Nav 81 % run their factories
eight hours day, 40 the same time re-
questing thal The wage question De leit 10
d rsL
own employer. The committee then agreed
0u the part of the employers 10 report back
CD The employees whom they represented,
sud did report back The result of the con
ference. Each committee was then I'M
structed % present t0 their individual firms
The same demand presented TO them
in the conference committee hich was that
eight hours should constitute a day 5 work,
one dollar day men tO receive the same
for eight hours work and 10 per cent ali
vance ON present wages. AL refused 10
comply with the request OF make any adj
vance whatever. except Nelson, Matter &
Co. who offered their employees five per
cent advance ON May 3 and five per cent.
more 0n July I April - the different
shop committees met and reported that
their firms we're willing 10 grant eight hours
but would Tot grant aay advance in wages,
except Nelson Matter & Co. After due de
lANflAllHlA at @ttll Atttt44lE hl t4t 0AllCltllt
committees the employees Of Nelson, Matter
IS Co. were requested % accept the terms of
their employers Bg a resolution already
printed in the city press the employers of
Nelson. Matter & Co. accepted il in good
faith. May 3 nearly all of the factories
started ora the eight hour plan and most of
the factories settled similar 10 Nelson, Mat
ter Is Co.
We tne employees. sgpp0sing that every
thing was settled satisfactorily. now ask
our employers To stand oy their pledge and
we will do the same 10 man. Aud we
would further stale To the public that dur
Ing all rhis struggle We have endeayored to
a man o. avoid strikes or trouble Of any
kind. and are willing 90 lee the public Judge
for themselves Of our action We condemn
the action of the Grand Rapids Furni IRE
company, and also the Bsse.l Carpet
sweeper company. and consider it an uuius-
riha1le breach ct faith on the part of said
employers Believing that such action is
conducive Of anarchy and confusion. We
hereby sound a note of warning. hoping a
word 20 the wise will be- sufficient We
remain sincerely yours.
lEyrRAL FTENIrr gE WOREERs' PROTECTIVE
ASSOCIATION.