Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-25
Pillow SHOP CLOSED.
Three Weeks Suspension For
Annual Repairs and Inn
proVements.
CIRCULAR SENT OUT BY COMPANY

Warning to Employees Not to Heed AL
| legged "AgItators" Who, 1t is Claimed,
| Are EndeavOring TO Organize q United
| Demand for an Increase in Wages-Men
Expected to Sign Agreement for Year.
Operations were suspended Satur-
day at the Rock Island Plow works for
the making of annual repairs and i'm
provements. The company states it
| is difficult to determine Just now how
long it will require to complete these
alterations, which are now going
on, and which must be finished before
the factory can again be started, but
| it is believed that all will be in readi-
ness by the middle of October.
A circular letter signed by F. A.
Head, vice president and general man
ager of the company, has been ad-
dressed to employees, which says,
among other things:
so many reports have recently
been brought to the attention of the
management of this company with re-
gard to the probab BILE action of its en-
ployes on the resumption of opera
tions this fall, they feel it to be duty
they owe themselves and no less an
obligation to their workmen, espe
cially to those who have been many
years in its service, to say a few words
upon the present situation.
1T appears, if the reports which
reach us are true, that there is a certain
dissatisfied element among our work
men, made up, as we understand, of
men, who, for the most part, have
been but a short time in our service,
who occupy unimportaut positions,
and in many cases are without fami
lies and homes, and for that reason
have but little at. stake, whose habits
of life, we are sorry to know, in some
instances, are not beyond serious re-
proach, who are laboring among those
who have families and homes and
proba bly, 4 little money saved up, to
Join them in some union of action to
get their wages raised. Now, at this
point, we want to ask the old en-
ployes to look at the character of the
men who are doing the agitating, and
say if you think they are the kind
whose advice you believe it is safe to
accept in a matter which may mean
the loss of years wages and possibly
a steady job
Continuing, the circular states it
has been decided there will be no gem
eral increase at present for the reason
there is nothing in the conditions to
Justify it. In conclusion:
Piece Work Basis.
LAS a further means of making it
possible to increase the amount of
earnings, will say it is the intention
of the company, at once, on resum-
ing operations, wherever and when
ever practicable, to put all work
on piece basis, and, while
it is not possible at this time to make
up schedule of prices at which the
work shall be done, it is the expect
alton to allow such a rate as to make
it possible, with fair effort on the part
of workmen, to earn ID per cent more
than they have been doing at the per
hour scale.
''In order that there NAV be no
chance for a misunderstanding be-
tween the company and its employees,
and that there may be no cause for
interruption to business when once
operations are resumed, we think it
important that an agreement should
be signed by each employe before
commencing next seasons work, de-
filming the relations which exist be-
tween US, and accordingly have had
one prepared for that purpose. If,
therefore, you desire to be continued
on the payroll of this company, you
will please to wait upon the time
keeper, who will submit the same and
receive your signature thereto. If
you do not call previous to Oct. 10.
wa g ol nd n
wish to be regarded as one of our en-