The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-22

industry at Minneapolis already severely
handicapped by discriminating freight
rates, and by a lower schedule Of wages
at competitive points, be further bur-
dened simply to satisfy the fetch of an
eight-hour day?
The attempt to enforce the eight hour
rule in New York city and st. Louis re-
suited in a complete defeat of the labor
union. The mills in all large milling CEN
tiers, including Milwaukee, New York, st.
Louis and Buffalo, work the entire mill
ing crew on the basis of twelve hours for
the trick men and ten hours for the day
men. All Of the skilled labor in Minne-
apolis mills, such as nillers, machine ten
ders, boilers, etc., now work eight hours
daily, necessitating the employment of
three shifts, eight hours each, instead Of
two shifts twelve hours each employed by
millers at all competing points.
The Ten-Hour Day Necessary.
1.-THE handling of flour packages at the
Minneapolis -four mills Is not susceptible
Of an eight-hour shift without an entire
change in our methods of doing business
Flour must be loaded as the cars can be
moved in and out. and ten hours each
day Is necessary for this work. The lin
tied amount of track room makes it neces-
sary for us to work two crews, one day
and one night, and use the track con-
stantly. If we consented to entertain the
proposition Of the flour handlers it would
be necessary to increase our force of men
to three crews, making 80 per cent addt-
tional COST
President Finley Replies.
President Finley, who admits that the
wages paid here are as high as at any
milling center in the country, replies as
follows:
The mill employees have not been look
ing for trouble and the various unions re-
ferred to do not have organizers.
aWe have no walking delegation The
statement that representatives of our
union enter the mills and induce the men
to quarrel with their foremen is untrue
The only. time that a milling firm was
|reqhested. to take back men who Werss dis
charged by a foreman was an instance
where the president of the company adj
mitted that the foreman was wrong
| The statement that the men in the
mills are abused for trying to do an honest
days work is. absurd.
AS to the request Of the flour leaders,
all the men in the mills are working eight
hours day except the flour 1oaders Is 1t
unreasonable to expect that the men who
do the hardest work Will continue to work
two hours longer each day than the men
who have much easier work? Loading
flour In the Minneapolis flour mills is
harder work than the work done by the
| common laborers with whom they are
compared. It takes a strong man to
Stduu lie pace set LOT THESE men.
Last fall when the millers were granted
an eight-hour day, we promised the mill
| owners that we would organize the mills
turnout the country. We have tried to
fulfil our promise. The only city where
the attempt to defeat the eight-hour day
was successful was in New York city. No
attempt to secure an eight-hour day was
made in St. Louis. Why do not the mill
ers call attention to the cities where we
have secured an eight-hour day2
THE handling Of flour packages Is sus-
ceptible Of an eight-hour shift without
change in the present method OF doing
business. The mill owners well know that
this statement Is true. The proposition OF
the -four leaders does not mean an addi-
ttonal cost Of 80 per cent, or anywhere
near 1t. Five per cent would be much
nearer the truth.
"Whe nthe mill employees asked for an
eight hour day the firms claimed 1t would
cost SO per cent additional. Several Of
] the big mills are now running cheaper.
than they did under the twelve-hour sys-
tenn.
IT am the only organizer connected with
the mill employees unions. The statement
| that have made myself obnoxious to the
firms is news to me- My relations with
the mill managers have always been most
pleasant-so much SO that the Northwest
ern Miller, the organ of the owners, saw
fit to commend me in its issue OF June
"a.
"Of course the strike will be on to-mor-
| row unless the millers recede from their
position"
All the Mills Affected.
The strike will close the twenty-four
flour mills in Minneapolis and will Inn
mediately throw out OF employment about
1000 employees, nearly 400 OF which are
the -four leaders, for whom the strike viii
be declared Eventually the strike might
affect the coopers, bag makers and bak-
ers Of the city-about 10000 in all.