The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-09
THE DISAGREEMENT
Between Mill and Bench Hands and
 Their Employers

Between Mill and Bench Hands and
 Their Employers.
 To the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 Would you permit me through your valuable columns to make statement in behalf of the Mill and Bench Hands local, No. 611. There appeared in the columns of one of the Sunday papers a statement that there had been pre- sented to the wood-workers employers on Water street a request for an eight hour work day with ten hours pay, and that this request could have been easily adjusted, but they further requested the recognition of their union. which means that in the future only union men should be employed, and that the latter provision in the request was not conceded and the men decided to strike. The following is a copy of the request:
 First-That nine hours should con stitute day's work, and shall be per- formed between the hours of a. m. and p. rn., and that the wages of the parties of the second part shall be the same per day for the nine hours as they now receive for ten hours when working in the shop.
 Second-That the parties of the sec- ond part shall comply with the rules of the outside carpenters when going out side to work.
 Third-That the parties of the first and second parts shall recognize the following days as legal holidays, viz: ] Decoration day, July 4, Labor day, Thanksgiving day and Christmas, and that over time shall be paid for at the rate of 50 per cent. more than for the regular working hours from p. m. till 12 m. and 100 per cent. more than for 1 the regular working hours from 12 m till a. nl., including Sundays and holi- days.
 l Fourth-That no member of the par l ties of the second part shall Co work for any individual unless he Fsarges 1 manufacturers prices for tss.le and 1 material.
 Fifth-That this agreement shall re- main in force for the term of one year from May 1, 1904, to May 1, 1905, and that in the event of the parties of the 1 second part desiring to make any l change in this agreement that notice oi three months shall be given to the par l ties o1 the first part prior to the expi- ration of this agreement.
 1 That the above request does not agree with the statement of one of the employers in regard to the eight hour and recognition of the union. l The men have made a fair and mod crate request and it should have been granted without having to resort to such measures as leaving their employ ment.
 l The employers claim they cannot af- | ford to make such chance. This is not borne out by the following facts These three mills are the only ones in
 this state, or in the New England states, that are working ten hours. There are twelve or fourteen shops
 that are working nine hours and one shop working eight hours. l have re- l ceived many complaints from surround I ing cities of the unfair competition that they have to contend with from these | ten-hour shops. Now, if these shops can afford to work eight and nine hours and in most cases pay more money why can't these three mills?
 Now there is a combination of the lumber dealers of the city who set th' 1 price oe lumber and these three mill' set the price of mill work. They do no go to the builders and ask them if they
 can afford to pay more for their lum Der or their mill work; they simply SC the prices and the builders have to pay l it. Still they want to deny the mel who do the work the right to set hi price on his labor The men are goins
 out unless they receive nine hours ant
 ten hours pay. They will have the nor
 al and financial support of the carpen ters of the city, and every carpenter in the United States and Canada ant are prepared to stay out all summer.
 F. J. McKerness, | Business Agent District Council O United Carpenters of New Haven ant
 vicinity.