Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-03-22
THEY WALKED OUT.
Thirty Girls at Belding Bros. n Co.'S Six
MIL Go Out ON "a Strike.

Thirty Girls at Bedding Bros. y Co.'S Six
MIL Go Out strike.
Belding, with its hundreds OF factory
employees, for quite number OF years
past has been very fortunate indeed In
freedom from friction between employ
ers and employees. But last Friday all
the ounce spoilers at Bedding Bros. q
Co.'s silk mill, 80 in number, In conse-
quence of a certain notice being posted
in their room, which they considered
as virtually a cut In their wages, de-
cided to strike. One returned to work,
the rest demanded raise to 10 cents
per hour without an average, that is
without being required to accomplish
a certain amount. This the superin-
tendent refused to grant. They re-
NAMED out until Wednesday morning,
when all but three returned to work
Superintendent F. w. Howard made
the following statement:
I'm the matter referred to the COM
pany had no intention and did hot, in
fact, make any reduction In wages.
contemplated. Such action has not
been considered or thought of. OF the
80 employees mentioned, most OF whom
are longtime and well-paid employees,
two were on the day mentioned changed
to a different class of work, a change
which was thought best by the man
agement to class as piece work, and
after careful consideration list OF
prices was figured out and posted, and
this was supplemented with the per-
sonal assurance that If they 1.-THE two
employees and such others as might
later be changed) should average less
than the price they had up to this time
received, it would be made up to them.
On the other hand, if they made more
it would be their good fortune. And
that they would average as much or
more per hour than they had previous
ly earned working by the day, those
who manage the business are certainly
In position to know. This company
always has and does now pay good
wages, treats every employee fairly
and with consideration from every
point OF view. Any employee can at
any time have hearing, their side OF
the matter heard and the matter adj
justed to their satisfaction il it is rea-
sonable and consistent with the best
interest of the business. Intelligent
people who are cognizant of the facts
know this, and other persons who have
an honest and sincere desire to know
will be courteously received and in
formed at the company's office. The
statements that girls are employed at
90 or GO cents per day, cannot earn
enough TO live on, ETC., are wholly false
and only given credence by those who
are ignorant of the facts or prefer to
think and advance such falsehoods. In
the case in question, as often happens,
II few impulsive ones lead others more
reluctant, and the majority, we have
reason to believe, now regret their
action"
The girls included among the strik-
ers are nearly all the oldest employees
of the mill, were getting the highest
wages Of any, and that any differences
should have arisen is very much re-
GREETED. Both sides present very
good case and it is really very hard
for an outsider to Judge. 1t is now
over and perhaps it is just as well not
to probe it further. We sincerely
hope it will be many day before we
will have to chronicle anything of a
similar nature in Bedding.