Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-07-24
Labor
NDZZy

4, death benefit Of hundred dollars II
provided for. The company hal
agreed to contribute monthly a sun
equal to that paid by all the EN-
ployes.
The 500 machinists employed OF
the Chicago and Northwestern rail
road system will receive an increase
in wages ranging from two to three
cents an hour under an agreement
reached between the Representatives
of the railroad company and the
machinists' union. Minimum wages
for machinists are fixed at thirty-foul
and thirty-fve cents an hour.
The Western Federation Of Miners
which recently held its annual con
vention is Denver, is said to be the
richest labor organization In the
world. 1t has been in existence but
twelve years, and has 200 affiliated
local unions, with about $4,000 mem
bers and 100000 in its treasury. II
has secured an eight-hour day for all
| VI ITO OiuCl dluoh6 IhS hAihSA
| and smeltermen in the Western
country.
|, The Porto Rico Federation Of
Labor has formally requested Gov
Hunt to investigate the conditions OF
labor on certain large sugar planta
lions of the island. The federation
claims that poverty-stricken laborers
averaging forty cents day, are com
PEELED to accept Chips" instead OF
money, and to trade at plantation
stores, where inferior and often in
furious goods are sold at an exorbi
tant price.
The general executive board of the
United Garment Workers of America
at it's recent meeting in New YORK.
city, recommended that the controver
sizes now on in the special order
branch of the concentrating indus
try in Chicago be allowed to remain
as they are until the general conven
ton of the garment workers, which
meets in Indianapolis Aug. 10, where
all questions at issue will be thrasheo
out and decision made to be final ant
binding
The forty-third annual report of the
Amalgamated Society Of Carpenters
and Joiners, a world-encircling laboi
organization, with headquarters II
Manchester, England, shows that al
the close of last year when the &C
counts were closed the organization
had S48 branches, situated as follows:
England and Wales, GIT; Ireland, BE-;
Scotland, 81; United States, 55; Can
ada, 10; New Zealand, Is; Australasia
81; South Africa, II. The total mem
bership is $4,000 in round numbers.
Judges Baker and Gary, to whom
was referred the dispute Of the Chica
go South Side street car men on the
point of when the agreement with the
company expires, decided against the
men. The decision says that the f1nd
ing of the first arbitration board mus
stand, which sets expiration OF the
agreement at Sept. 80 Of this year
The men commended that, as the org
inal agreement with the company ex
pired June II, any arbitration board
acting under that agreement had nc
right to extend the original date of its
expiration.
The new sugar refining plant Of the
Corn Products Company at Wauke
gan is threatened by strike ant
building operations now in progress,
may be entirely stopped within few
days. The company is said to have
refused to sign certain of the unions
scales in its Chicago plant, and fol
this reason fifteen or more mill
wrights and carpenters were ordered
out on short notice. 1t is reported
that this is the first step in move
ment to tie up the plants of the glu
cose company all over the country
unless it agrees to recognize thu
unions.
John Mitchell, president Of the
United Mine Workers Of America. IL
writing a book based on his own eX
perience as labor leader, and his init
mate association with the big capita
luleTcStS VI tuC NOuhtiy hoNS
ed the theme The book will discus,
the various labor problems in the lucit
style for which President Mitchell isl
noted. The data has been secured
from official sources and will abount
with all of those who have led in the
great labor reform movement. Trade
unionism will be the subject, and the
relations of capital and labor and the
great problems of the day will b.
considered.
Chicago and other eastern delegates,
who attended the recent convention Of
cement workers at San Francisco |
where the American Brotherhood OF
Cement Workers was launched, have
returned to their homes and report
very successful meeting. Thirty-thret
delegates were present, and imme
diately that a name and constitution
were adopted it was unanimously de
cided to apply for affiliation to the
American Federation Of Labor. St
Louis was chosen as the city in which
to hold the next convention. Frank c
Gengenback, of Chicago, was elected
general president of the new inter