Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03

inally presented. They cited Denver, where
the men work but eight hours and draw $50
a week, or SO week more than Omaha was
asking. They also knew that probably half
Of the men employed in Omaha we're drawing
at least as much wages as was contemplated
! by the new scale and that the establishment
OF that figure as the minimum scale would
| not be lnhictng so great a hardship upon
| employers as II the new scale actually neces-
| Stated an advance of wages all along the
| line. The same was true in regard to the
| other unions involved Most OF the press
men, pressfeeders and bookbnders we're ac-
| tually drawing as high wages as were named
| in the new union scales
1nasmuch as the printers OF the four strik
ing elements did not demand an increase OF
wages, 1t was thought that they would be
the first to have their demands conceded but
it turned out they were the last The four
unions were banded together under agree.
ment that the settlement must be satisfac
tory to all or none The fact that the en-,
ployers conceded the demands OF the press
men and bookbinders first is explained bv the
printers on the ground that the proprietors
hoped to create discord among the allied
unions
When the employers showed such a deter
mined front against the printers that for
while it looked as If a strike was inevitable
two members of the printers conference
committee actually weakened, so it is re-
ported, expressing the fear that the scale
could not be enforced. After various propo-
sitions on the part OF the employers for a
compromise had been rejected the EMPLOYERS
yielded. I'VE have to acknowledge that you
are masters of the situation" said their
GDO
Revival In Labor Organization.
These two labor disturbances and their
results have awakened attention to the
strength of unonism in Omaha, where a re-
markable awakening has taken place in lab r
circles during the past three years. In the
not remote past ardent union advocates in
many surrounding cities were wont to speak |
of Omaha unionism. For
many years about the only existing unions |
here worthy the name were the typograph- |
ical and bricklayers' unions. The revival |
began about three years ago with the rent
ing of upper floors in the Barker block and |
the establishment of a Labor Temple. At
the end of four or five months the temple
was removed to the present quarters in the
Bressler block
The Central Labor union now comprises
representatives from some thirty eight diff
ferent unions, including those of the car
penters, painters, bricklayers, plumbers,
electrical workers, plasterers, stone cutters,
sheet metal workers, machinists, coopers
norse-shoers, theatrical employees, brewers
retail clerks, leather workers, brickmakers
wood workers. printers, pressmen, BARRIERS
'lgar makers, musicians walters cooks
bakers, bartenders, sales ladies, hackdrivers
electrotypers and stereotypers,
'rlcklayers' and plasterers tenders, iron
holders, boiler makers and several others.
t is stated that these various unions aver
ge 125 members each, while some have
membership Of several hundred
The Labor Temple organization comprises
ne representative from each union as a |
oard of directors. who look after the
nances of the institution. The present
uarters comprise four large and we'll
assembly halls on the third floor {
the building occupied, with ladies' parlor
nd numerous ante rooms, as we'll as the :
eading room, committee room, office and {
ther conveniences on the first floor and a {
ard room in the basement. All the halls e
re rented nearly every night in the week e
nd the temple IS more than self-sustaining
alaries are paid a superintendent and a
lnitor out of the rentals. The temple has n
ranged to take charge also of the sec Z
I'D floor of the building as soon as the
hurston Rifles armory is removed T