The Portland daily press., 1897-12-21
WANT ACTION POSTPONED.
Proposition Of Labor Unions to Fall
River Mill Owners.
ASK THAT PROPOSED WAGE he.
DUCTlON BIZ DELAYED.

|
March I--If This Proposition Oannos
Be Accepted They Offer to Submit the
| Question to State Eoar6 of Arbitration
| Fall River. December 20.-The confer.
ence of labor leaders and manufacturers
which has been looked forward TO as be-
| ing a factor in the situation which might
overcome the actual facts was held this
afternoon in the rooms Of the Manu-
fae5urers' association. The representa-
t1Yes Of the labor unions submitted three
propositions and each Of the delegates
made some comment thereon. At the
conclusion Of this, the manufacturers de-
cldeo to take them under consideration
| anu VIII give a written answer before
TOUR o CLOCK tomorrow afternoon.
| These propositions were formulated at
| tbs meeting OF tie representatives Of the
various labor unions held last week and
are as follows:
| First-lt being the general opinion that
There Will be an improvement during the
ensuing year and that the manufacturing
VIII be in far more prosperous condition
than at present, we request our manu-
Iacturers to postpone the present reduc-
t1on until the first of March. II there is
no improvement at that time, we will
hold another conference with a view Of
! settling the wage question.
| Second-Believing that reducing
wages is not q remedy for an overstocked
market we respectfully request our manu-
facturers to work four days per week
until the first of March. II there is no
! improvement at that time, we viii hold
another conference.
Third-H either Of the above PROPOSE
tions are accepted and we cannot settle
| the questions satisfactorily we are willing
to submit our case to the state board of
arbitration, wages to remain as at present
| until the state board makes It's report"
! The report of tho meating of the labor
union delegates also states that at their
meeting:
"The question of over time running
with two sets of help was discussed, also
the recovery of lost time. The delegates
were of the opinion that efforts should be
made TO put u stop to 1t as it is causing a
grest deal of dissatisfaction.
| After the submlttal of their PROPOSE
tions, the present conditions of trade,
the causes which have led up to them
and the matter of southern competition
were discussed at great length and it was
after over two hours OF deliberation that
the conference adjourned. The manufact-
urers were very open in giving the reasons
which have led up to their action and
they answered all questions with equal
freedom.
! Secretaries O'Dennell and Whitehead
expressed themselves after the conference
as being In every way satisfied with the
meeting and said that they felt that they
had made strong impression on the
manufacturers and hoped that thei,
propositions would lead to q postpone
nent of action at present.
After the ADJOURNMENT of the conference
the manufacturers listened to delega
tion of the slasher tenders union who
asked "a special hearing on their agree
Ine1t with the manufacturers. They will
receive All answer tomorrow.
The proposition Of the Fall River Iron
Works company, which employs S00(
operatives, in the wage question is deter.
mined by the announoement OF the own
er, M. G. D. Borden of New York, who
says he wifi abide by the decisions and
recommendations of the manufacturers
committee, having 10 desire TO oppose
them in any ectiaa which they may think
for tho benefit f the cotton industry in
Fall River He is willing to reduce
wages to point twenty per cent below
the present basis if the committee should
SO decide, and therefore the reduction II
not changed by the conference will effeo!
| his employees tt5