Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-03
RECOGNIZES LABOR UNIONS
Ak-sar-Ben Board Enters into Agreement
with Labor Representatives
SOTH SIDES MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS
Work I'm Den Not to he Controlled
by Unions, but Contracts Are 20
Specify Employment OF
Union Men.

The points at issue between the repre-
sentatives Of organized labor and the board
Of governors Of the Knights Of Ak-Sar-Ben
have been settled and nothing now stands
in the way Of the board in it's work Of ar
ranging for the greatest fall festival in
the history Of the order.
For several weeks the matter Of reach
ing an understanding was discussed. Last
fall the question was deferred until Just
before the work on the street carnival
grounds began. Then 1t was found that
the board had let a contract for the con-
struction of booths to a man who employed
%nonunlon labor. An attempt was then made
to force the employment OF union labor, but
1t failed.
This year the Central Labor union de-
cided to have the matter settled early and
the president was authorized to appoint
a committee to take the question UP with
the board OF governors. This action COM
ing 10 their attention, the member Of the
board Immediately decided to meet the
union half way and adopted a resolution to
the effect that no attempt would be made
to raise funds for the parade until the
question was disposed Of, and all danger
Of trouble avoided. For a week or two
the committees failed to meet, but Friday
evening the board of governors and the
representatives Of the interested unions
held a meeting, at which all questions we're
settled and a stipulation drawn up to be
signed this week whereby the parties are
bound for a year.
Board Recognizes Union b
According to the terms Of the stipulation
the representatives of the labor unions
waived certain demands and the board of
governors for the first time in its existence
recognized organized labor oflcially. 1t is
provided that all men to be employed by
the board Of governors for work either
at the den or upon the street carnival
shall be members of organized labor and
shall draw the scale provided by their
unions, but that inside the den all rules
as to the division OF labor shall be waived
and that each man employed shall work
according to the instructions Of the SUPER
intendent; that whenever the board shall
make a contract for the construction OF
any work in that contract 1t shall be pro-
vided that none but union labor shall
be employed where such workmen are or
ganized.
1t was expected that the trouble between
the Electrical Workers union and the cleo
trio lighting company would make q solu-
ton Of the questions between the labor
unions and the board Of governors diff
fcult, but when the matter was under
stood 1t was learned that the electric light
| company did no wiring on the carnival
grounds, for which 1t was paid by the board
| OF governors, SO that matter was beyond
| the power Of the board to regulate and
was dropped from consideration.
Organized abor's support.
The board will now lave the united sup
port of organized labor for the first time II
its efforts to raise funds and will imme'
diately appoint its hustling committee and
start the campaign. Z
1t is probable that the work Of initia.
| ton at the den will begin earlier this
| season than last. The h~ustling committee
found last year that during the excessively
hot weather Of July and August the pros
pective candidates for initiation were wary
and objected when the exertion ruine
linen, and the result was that the total
| initiation was somewhat below that Of the
preceding year. By starting early thi:
year it will be possible to increase thu