Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-19
The Electrical Workers, Strike.

The controversy between the electrical
workers of this city and the employing con-
tractors should be settled without further
delay, particularly in view of the possibility
that It's continuation without agreement
may result in a general disturbance among
the building trades. From business point
of view this solution of the difficulty is al
most imperative The capital is now en-
joying a period of greater activity in the
construction of buildings than 1t has ever
known before. Extensive operations, both
of a public and private nature, under
way in all directions, involving millions of
dollars, and to precipitate a general strike
to cripple any one of the construction
industries now would be disastrous to all
interests involved, perhaps infiictng a blow
upon the prosperity of the city which
would be felt for many seasons.
The agreement of the contractors printed
yesterday in The Star. and rejected last
night by the striking journeymen, is open
apparently to some reasonable criticism. If
the contention of the men for a shorter
working day be reasonable they should not
in gaining that point lose the chance TO
make approximately the wage which they
demand. The contractors offer an eight
hour day, but s:ipulate that in calculating
the time of the journeyman he shall not be
credited with the time required to report
or to assemble materials at the store. This
would in many cases be obviously unjust.
for the time which would thus be excluded
would often bring the workers wage down
to q point below that which he receives
now, although it were spent in the interests
of the employer. The general rule in all
the mechanical trades is that the time of
going to and returning from the scene of
operations and of preparing materials shall
be counted in the wage reckoning.
Whatever may be the merits of the con-
tractors proposal in general, it is under
stood that the local wage scale in this
trade is lower than that which usually pre-
walls in the large cities. Yet the trade is of
unusual Importance and requires high de-
gree of Intelligence and skill, sometimes of
scientific knowledge Upon the accurate
performance of the task assigned to these
workers may depend the safety OF human
lives Careless workmanship in the wiring
of a building may result in fatal fires.
Every year adds to the use of electricity in
both domestic and commercial establish
ments. and the tendency in the technical
branch of the trade should be to the en-
ployment of more skilled labor and conse-
quently the payment Of better wages
that they cannot afford to pay the So rate
demanded by the men because there are
many workers who are incompetent to re-
ceive such wages. Yet these men are in
continued employment upon this important
branch of the building trade. Contractors
are not to be permitted to entrust these
delicate tasks, involving the security of life
and property, to men whom they pronounce
incapable of doing skilled work. The pub
lie is entitled to demand q readjustment of
the classification of workers, requiring
higher wages to be paid to the best, who
are entrusted with the responsibility of
their tasks, and lower wages to helpers and
those whom the contractors characterize as
incompetent to do the finer grades of the
work. This is the point where the public
interests coincide with those of the work
ingmen, just as in the case of the street
railway wage scale. which directly affects
the safety of passengers