The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-09-29


tied up and point tom brow voluntary
suspension as evide nce that the Mar:
kle's are afraid the men will quit.
ANSWER OF Marble;
To Rill Of d:riev,. nc es Pr en- cd BY
s ISL mpIoyes.
s.HAzELTON, Pa, Sept. S255.--F low
ing5 is MarkleSs & Co S answer to THEN,
employees bill Of grievances: i M.
Il jeddo, Pa, Sept, 224.--.ro the Commit
tee ofsthe Employees Of G. b. Markle &
CO. y w s sE55s 3sss 9
Men---Be Believing that arbitration was
the proper met hod of settling all differ
ences between employer and employees,
as far back as 1885 an arbitration
clause was embodied in the agreement
with our men which is as follows I'VE
further agree that under no consi der-
alton will we enter into a. strike. Any
difficulties we may have with our en-
ployers are to be settled by arbitra-
ton, viz: BY our choosing compe-
tent man and their choosing one, and
if these men cannot agree these two
must choose a third and their decision
or the decision Of a ma ority of them
to. be binding. 1t is further agreed that
we, will not be governed by any labor
association in settling any difficulties
while in the employment of G.. b.
Markle & CO. 5s25
At this time when the answers to
your grievances are due, we find a
number of men bsent from work. OF
course some advise us they are re-
strained from working through fear,
While others, we know, have connected
themselves with labor organizations.
Under these circumstances we could
we believe, in perfect faith, announce
that our arbitration agreement was at
an end but We do not feel that men
who regard their pledges as sacred
should be dishonored through breach
of faith by others. Our answers to our
grievances are given with the under
standing that only those who are work
them and with the further understand
ing that their action shall be binding
upon us. Those identified with labor
organizations, having by that affilia-
ton disqualified themselves from act
ing under our arbitration agreement,
are not entitled to vote Those who are
deferred from work by conditions for
which we are not responsible must be
considered as in a state Of voluntary
suspension and their votes also must
be excluded. It is our earnest endeavor
to advance the welfare of our employees
wherever possible. This course, we be-
lieve, we have followed in the past and
we assure: you the past can be regard
ed as a precedent of the future. 5;.
The question having arisen as to the
possibility Of failure on the part Of the
two arbitrators chosen under our mu-
.tual compact to agree upon the third
arbitrator, we have expressed our will
singness, which we again confirm, that
IS hey cannot agree, Arch bishop Ryan
Of PEhilad lphia,, # agreeable IA you,
ssllal act M lat apaci |also
tina d l,fss
result Sc
sefeetiveH az ofs dat Sept d5 900, That
being the date upon which the COM
mittee waited upon us. HE
. The company then proceeds to give
specific answers to various demands
made by the men. u ss s
Regarding the, request for semi
monthly payment Of wages the com
pany says that in 1893 the announce
ment was made that all who desired
wages semi monthly could have them
upon giving notice, but, the company
adds, the men did not take advantage
Of the notice and monthly payments
were. resumed. Up until 1897 te com
pany says no request for semi -monthly
payments had b been made. This
grievance is then disposed Of by the
company stating that if after mature
deliberation the men want a return to
the semi -monthly payment plan it will
be resumed. 5 3..:s.' *
In denying the request that drivers
be paid for every hour they work, the
company says, the wages are based
upon service from Z a. m. to 6 p. m,
but that in most cases the men are
through at 5 p. m. and are always paid
for. full day. n & III. 81 ~
On one Of the principal grievances,
the prices Of powder, he company asks
for arbitration. The price now
charged is $2.7O a keg. The men want
it made as low as possible.
Another principal grievance, that
employees getting $1.50 per day be adj
vanced five per cent and under that
figure ten per cent the company de-
clines to accede to. The sliding SCALE,
the reply states, which is embodied
in our a agreement has governed wages
since its adoption, and notwithsta
the increased cost in the production
and preparation Of coal, has remained
the same. Since December, 1899. there
has been an advance Of six per cent on
the basis and since February 1, 1900,
the rates OF wages paid our men have
been higher than at any time since
Jan. !, 1895. Wee cannot grant the re-
quest. s5s So q
B The company declines to pay
engineers by the hour, preferring to
continue paying them q monthly rate.
It lis agreed to- provide a powder car,
If Tor black powder and not dynamite.
"a tool car to bring tools to and from
the mine will also be provided when