Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-19
BACK PAY FOR employees
OF GOVERNMENT ASKED.

hhN HluhNlNtui NOV ~ lhudN hfF-
sion OF the American Federation Of Lo-
Dor occupied the time Of the delegates
FOR the first few hours In the consider
alton OF some Of the many resolutions
presented, Upon several Of these splr.
tied debates were held notably on that
introduced by the Boot and Shoe Max
ers' union. This asked the delegates to
go on record as favorable to the sentl-
ment that labor organizations are the
true protectors Of the -unlonists and
against the claims Of citizens alliances
and manufacturers associations that
they are the guardians OF the rights and
liberties Of the unorganlzed workers
After some hot shot had been poured
ON what the delegates termed Parry
ISM" the resolution was lost
A resolution asking for back pay for
government w0rkmen was introduced
by First Vice President Duncan, which
read as follows:
Whereas. The labOrers and mechan.
les employed on government works since
1872 have been actively engaged IN an
effort 10 secure pay for overtime made
by them In the belief that these claims
are perfectly just and well founded It
is therefore,
Resolved, That section Of the def
cheney appropriation act approved May
Is, 1879 seventeenth statutes at large,
page l8i, is hereby revised and con-
tinued In force and made applicable to
all labor performed IN excess Of eight
hours per day by all laborers work.
men and mechanics employed by or on
behalf OF the government Of the Unit
ed states since the 18th day OF May,
1861 the date Of the proclamation OF
the president concerning such pay,
said claims 10 be adjudicated by the
court Of claims upon the bases prescrb-
ed In and by said sections ana ju1R.
ments to be rendered for extra pay in
proportion 70 the Increase Of hours OF
labor wherever more than the legal
days work Of eight hours was perform
ed; and,
Resolved, That the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor, as a body, recommends
TO Congress the favorable consideration
Of thes claims and directs its officers or
committees In charge OF legislation to
give their best efforts to the passage of
legislation having for It's object the re-
lief Of these claims"
The resolution was unanimously
adopted
A number OF resolutions to make the
union label more effective were intro
duced and adopted In this connection
the delegates were urged to adopt
universal label and organize a league
TO further this end A proposition TO
ask the secretary Of commerce and Ia
Dor to appoint an arbitration board for
the settlement Of all strikes was lost
by a unanimous vote There was but
little debate on this question, the con-
census Of opinion being that the adop-
ton Of the measure would mean COM
pusory arbitration and the speakers
declared that labor had little to hope
for from such.
A proposal TO establish workingmen's
banks throughout the country was lost,
as was an attempt made by a delegate
OF the Seamen's union TO settle the
question Of trade autonomy.
a proposition to have labor unions
all over the country invite members Of
local boards Of health TO lecture TO them
on the best means Of Graduating tu-
berculosls was unanimously approved
by the convention.
II was voted to memorabilia Congress
that favorable legislation might be OBJ.
tanned on a pending bill relative to the
manning Of vessels and the training OF
boys Tor the sea, and 80 also ask that
body to pass a law prohibiting enlisted
musicians from competing with union
men,
The employment OF children and the
'pedOne' system were denounced by
tha convention The delegates were
urged to use every effort to aid IN the
formation Of ladies auxliaries 20 labor
unions and TO generally endeavor to
organize women workers.
After appointing q committee consist
ing Of Delegates James Lynch, Frank
Duffy and James Wood to meet and
endeavor TO settle the dispute between
the labor organizations OF San Fran
cisco so that the city Front Federation,
the Building Trades council and the san
Francisco labor council might be ANAL
gomatcd into one central body, tele-
gram was read from Typographical
union No. Q OF ST. Louis inviting the
delegates TO hold their next annual ses-
sion IN that city. The bidders thus far
for the next convention are Fort Worth
Texas Dominion Of Canada, City OF
san Juan De Porto Rico and 81 Louis,
Il ~ expected a lively fight win be
waged In behalf OF these and other
places