The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-14
BOSS BAKERS SIDE
Employers Formally State Their
Version Of Present Difficulties.
WAGE QUESTION NOT INVOLVED
Demands of the Union Reviewed
and Reasons Given for
-. Refusing Them.

Minneapolis employing bakers, who de-
cline to consider all the demands of their
striking employees, are doing SO in the
belief that stand at this time will pre-
vent more serious trouble in future. Aside
from the physical impossibility Of abolish
ing night work on account of equipment,
there is question as to the status of
the union. The employers to-day issued
the following statement:
To the Public. - - ~
Believing that the public will be inter-
ested in knowing the truth about the
position taken by many Of the employing
bakers of this city in the trouble which
exists between some of us and our former
employees, we desire to make the follow
ing statement: s-- +.'e ......: - =.
j There was no DISPUTE between us and
our employees on the question of wages:
all of us were willing to pay the scale
Of wages ard give the number of hours of
labor asked for. Many of us were paying
even higher wages than the men asked.
and are to-day paying higher wages than
the union scale. The men made two spe-
cial demands that we could not accede
to-. =. .E-.s. - e@a6' 80 !
The first was that night work should
be entirely done away. with. Many of
us could not give W night worl! at the
present. time, because of the absolute
need of fresh goods every morning in
hotels and restaurants, and also because
1t was imcossible to make all the goods
needed hv- our customers by working in
day time only Article of the Bakers
Union Agreement demanded that no work
should be done after s p. m.
This would prevent any employer who
is a. practical baker and doing business
on a small scale, from going into his own
bakeshop after 8 p. m. and making even a
pie or loaf of bread -..-...-. 49,.
Cakes, pies and pastry require, our
ovens to be cooled down to moderate
heat while bread needs hotter oven to
be baked In, and these changes in tenn
perature are secured by baking the bread
at night. and letting the ovens cool off
while baking cakes during the day. The
public can readily see that firm baking
both cakes and bread. would have to have
a double outfit of ovens, and much addi-
tjonal EXPENSE for fuel, ETC.. in order to
do all the work in day time, and many OF
us could not secure this additional outfit
because we are doing business in rented
premises and our landlords would not
build the extra ovens, as a first class
brick oven costs a great deal OF money to
build. =.
One of the demands that was made on
us, was, that we should employ no one
but members Of the Bakers Union, No.
222. -. 49, &c. ,-.s..-...-.r
AS to this demand we all felt that an
employer should have the privilege to
employ any one and be the judge as to
his fitness, and competency; especially
when the employer is willing to ray even
better wages than the union scale. We
have never discrimina ted against union
men; many of us have employed union
men for years. and we have conferred
with committees appointed by the union
communicated with its officers, and Of
fered to leave all future matters of dis
pute between us and our employees to an
arbitration committee of five; two OF
whom were to be appointed by Bakers I'm.
ion No. 222; two by the employer, and
these four 20 choose fifth member:
We offered TO compromise the night
work question by paying more wages tc
men working nights in the shops where
night work was necessary but our offers
of compromise were rejected, aud the men
insisted on the contract prepared by
them, or nothing.
We regret the trouble which has arisen
knowing that the public has been put tc
much inconvenience; that many OF ou1
men have lost positions they had held fol
years at wages Of from $12 to, SIS pei
week. with steady work, and, because we
also have been at much loss; and incon-
venience Signed: .'E- ...->s 49,. !;
Minneapolis Bakers Association.
C. NJ. Vollender. ~ f@@-,
Regain Bros. $3.50 --., d.
E. M. Dorsett =. go. q
g. J. Lovold, Norway Bakery. --..
j. C. Lewis. p. ..u.. 49,
G. r. Greene. >. IT, 3"
H. A. Mas. ....:
Minneapolis Baking Company.
]. F. Friedlein.
N A. Matson. e
The Delicacy Bakery, by A. W. Benton
We Olde TYNE Bakerie. r.. E.. -
Wou1ans'; Baking Company.