The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-12

Howe's factory now working ton hours
at prices ranging from 10 cents to 81
per day. and I venture to say that the
average pay in any factory in the city
isn't SO per week. l know of a young
man who formerly got 21a cents per
dozen painting bottoms in the Middlesex
factory, or about $3.50 per day. Under
the new schedule he is asked to do the
work at IL cents per dozen, or $780, We
let Rice start a .free" shop here. He
made a failure of it and finally put in
line of shoes he used to make in one
of his other factories. That is the
''Klondike shop" and they have had
twelve small strikes there. Formerly
they used to pay 10 and 10 cents per
dozen for forepart trimming. Now they
have got it down to and cents per
dozen
Not manufacturer can kick on the
way we have used him. This attempt
to break up our organizations is too
much, and we are in the fight to the
finish" Mr.. Murray's sentiments were
corroborated by Agent p. j. Ryrne and
Agent B. p. Dorsey, who represents
the lasters.
S. H. Howe, president of the S. H.
Howe Shoe Co., the largest in MARI
boro, was seen by The Spy man. Mr..
Howe said: I'VE are not looking for
trouble, but our announcement means
just what it says. If we can't do bus
mess on that basis, we can't DO it at
all. This is q critical time for MARI
boro, for it means the life or death of
her industry. In Maine, New Ha1ap-
shire, New York and Pennsylvania
they can turn out finished mems shoes
from to 5 cents cheaper than we can
here"
Il have 10 sell my goods at the mar
ket price in order to compete with other
makers, and the cost, including labor,
must come under that price. In our
new schedule which we have not vet
announced, we have taken as q basis
wages running from 81 to SO per day.
The prices to cutters from 81 to 81 so
Will not be changed; those to lasters
will be about 81, and to stitchers from
$1.75 to 81. 1 do not know of any in
stance where reduction has been
made where it will reach as high as
40 per cent, except perhaps in some
minor jobs. The idea has been as Ear
as possible to equalize the wages
throughout the shops.
When we are busy, we can give
work to 1900 hands at an average price
OF $l2 per week. I have 400 on the
pay roll now, although we have work
enough for only about 700. If I had
work for the 1400 under the new SEIZED
ule. the averages Of every man, woman
and child in the shops would not be be-
low 81 per week. Our agreement re-
stricts no employees liberty to belong
to an organization, but we do not care
to deal with them through third
| party.
1.-THE method which has prevailed is
simply unbearable. 1 have started in
now to control the business, and pro.
pose to do So"
Asked if the shops would be closed
in the event of a strike or run by non.
union labor, Mr.. Howe replied:
| 1T is so uncertain now that is a diff
cult question to answer, but / shall
give every opportunity to home la
Dor"
John r. Frye, president of the JOIN
| r. Frye Company, said that he die
not care to discuss the matter for pub
| location, but things had reached tina
stage where he proposed to run his owl
business.
Charles W. Curtis, manager Of tn,
/ Rice & Hutchfns shops, declined t
make any statements relative to thu
| intentions of his company.
John O'Connell Of the firm of JOIN
| O'Connell & Sons, declined to stat,
whether his company would follow the
action of the others, but thought the
manufacturers entitled to a voice il
the matter.
j. F. Desmond has stated to the un-
| ions that he viii not follow the actor
of the other shops.