The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-04-07

Some of the unions, in the Building
Trades council are going to make a
determined effort this year to reduce
their hours of labor and increase their
wages somewhat. In fact the painters
are now engaged in struggle to Sc
cure the nine-hour day at a rate of 80
cents an hour. The boss painters are
not really opposing the demands of the
men, for they are willing to grant
them all except the signing of the
scale. The men refuse to return to
work unless the scale is signed, and
they cannot be blamed.
The bosses may be ever so willing to
grant fair wages now, but when work
is scarce, by refusing to sign the scale,
they hold the men at their mercy, and
pay whatsoever they choose. The men,
looking forward to the dull months of
the winter, claim that the signing of
a contract for year will prevent this.
The carpenters on May list will de-
mand IS cents an hour for an eight
hour day. The contractors have or
ganized during the last two weeks and
it is understood that their organization
is created for the purpose of opposing
the demands of carpenters. Some of
them say that the carpenters are alto
gether too unreasonable, yet in COM
parison with other cities the present
demand is lower than the average.
The Chicago carpenterssteceive $500 a
day for eight hours work, and the cost
of living is a great deal cheaper there
than in Duluth.
The .unskilled freight handlers will
,receiveS So cents an hour this summer,
while the lumber showers receive SO
cents and perhaps sixty.
Why should not the skilled carpen-
ters receive as good wages as the UNI
skilled laborer?
Many people are heard to remark
that the demands of the building me-
chanics will injure the prospects for
building this season. But men should
not be deceived thereby. While the
unions may ask for a ten or twenty
per cent increase in wages, the bosses,
through their organization, Are lacking
9 larger! profit on their bids. fThe price
Of lumber has advanced in some. In
stance i, ever per Gent Nails have
So as1.as ,s 7
by order OfNthe VIE and Aiail trust
and everything else in like proportion
The labOrer requires more money tO
live on than he used to. Through the
landlords and agents association rents
are advancing from 20 to 60 per cent
The average carpenters house rent
| was $40 per month, now it is $12 1t
| used to take him four days a $3.50 per
| day to earn enough to pay his month";
rent of SO. Under the new scale he
has to work four days and two hours
at $3.50 per day to pay his house rent
| at $12 per month. So it can be readily
| seen that the unions are not asking the
same proportionate increase as the
other fellows are.
! The contractors might as we'll grant
| the eight hour day now as any Other
time, and thus save all future strug-
giles along that line. The trade unions
will never cease until every working
! man in this land works under the eight
| hour system. The sooner the question
| is settled the better it will be al
around.
In 1891 the Plumbers union secured
the eight hour day at 43 cents an hour
| During the dullest times their unior
was so organized that reduction Of
wages was not attempted. Now, while
the times are improving, there is nc
| cause for trouble; the hours Of labor
| are reasonable, the wages are fair, ant
the working conditions thoroughly sat
isfactory. Occasionally some trifint
shop differences arise, but they arr
soon settled. What is true of tn
plumbers will be true of every othe.
trade Settle the hours of labor ant
one-half the problem is solved. The,
keep your organization intact to pre-
serve that which has already been Sc
cured.
1t is to be regretted that strikes oc
cur, but every eight or nine hour worl
day now enjoyed by labor was secure,
land fought for by a good hard strike