The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-13
Filming THE EMPLOYEES
LABOR COMMISSIONER MCCORMICK
FINDS a BAD CONDITION.
He WilI Ask Governor to Make Rec
Ommenda tiOns to legislature
Statistics on Strikes.

| L. P. Mccormick, of the State Labor Com
mission, has returned from Muncie, where
| he was largely instrumental in settling a
| strike by the boys employed in the large
fruit jar works of Ball Eros. He says that
the firm is composed of large-minded men
and that no further difficulties are antici-
pated. Among the suggestions that he made
to the firm was in reference to the system
of filming the boys for infracuons of rules.
Mr. Mccormick entertains strong ideas re-
garding the practice of fining employees,
which is SO general in many establishments
where large numbers are employed. He says
it is nothing but species of robbery al
though designed by employers merely as a
disciplinary measure.
1.-The money earned by employees said
Mr.. Mccormick yesterday. sis their prop
erty and it is unlawful to take away an
others property except by process of law.
Not only does the practice work an illegal
wrong, but it furnishes a weapon of oppres-
sion in the hands of foremen who may be
capable of venting spite against those I'M
der them. 1 am going to ask the Governor
to make a recommendation to the next Leg
islature for the passage of a proper law
abolishing the abuse.
Mr.. Mccormick is now preparing statistics
of work during the last year on account of
strikes, and the loss in wages resulting to
them. He says that the figures will aston
ish the public. The principal reason he has
for getting up the statistics is to show the
laboring people what an expensive luxury a
strike is to themselves, and he thinks 1t Will
be of some influence in leading them to
adopt other methods than that of striking
in order to right their grievances. He be-
lieves that employees should always insist
on arh differences
else patience in bringing their arbitration
negotiations to conclusion. he gives the
printers as an example of a labor organi-
cation that rarely has any strikes, The rea-
son being that they make contracts for long
periods as to their wage scale and work
while treating with their employers. He
mentioned yesterday one arbitration case in
the bookbinding trade that has been pend
ing for months without a settlement, and
yet the men are still working.
An instance of the disastrous cost of
strikes, Mr. Mccormick says. is furnished
by that of the window glass workers, which
was concluded on last Saturday by the
starting up of the various glass factories
in the State This strike" says Mr.. Nc
Cormiclx, cost the glass workers in Indiana
no less than $1.5OO0OO in wages from June
to December of the last year. The loss to
invested capital is unknown. The men also
lost about $25 900 in litigation among them
selves" The recent strike was not with
the employees, but was the result of a quar-
rel among the men themselves. There are
four branches of window-gass workers
the fiatteners, cutters, gatherers and blow
ers. These four branches were united into
one organization, the Glass Blowers Asso-
citation, which entered into contracts with
the employers as to the amount to be paid
by the piece. This amount was then pro-
rated by the association to the four classes
of workers. Last year the price per piece
paid by the manufacturers was raised, but
in the prorating of this amount the men
fell out among themselves. The tatteners
and cutters claimed that they were not
treated fairly by the gatherers and blowers,
and the fight ensued that resulted IN the
strike. The Glass Blowers Association had
fund of 100000, which became the subject
cutters, who formed themselves into q sep
arate organization, receiving $4,000 and the
blowers and gatherers $44 GOO, the balance
of $4,000 going for the payment OF legal
costs. The two associations have now
made separate agreements with the factory
| owners.