The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-11
SAY THAT UNION
Is TYRANNICAL
PLUMBERS HAVE SERVED NOTICE
OF NEW SCALE.
Master Plumbers Declare They Are
Facing Serious Situation and Are
<at Loss as to the Best Way to Meet
It-Talk of Going Out of Business
The New Demands.

states esa ea Ao . Of f ths egasa
Plumbers and Gas Filters has served
notice on the master plumbers and
plumbing contractors that new scale
will go into effect April /. In addition
certain privileges. are demanded over
and above those claimed under the old
rules. The master plumbers say they
are facing a serious situation and are
at loss to know whether to accede to
the new rules or go out of business.
IT have been in the plumbing bust
ness for twenty years, said well
known master today, but if the local
is to continue its demands much longer,
I, for one, will feel like quitting. The
81 our chssge es We are Called Gn pirates pirates
and everything. else, and all the funny
papers every winter take shots at u.s.
81 want to show you what we are up
against: In the first place the union
demands, under the new rule, $3.50 for
a day of eight hours. The old scale was
81: After making hard and fast rule
has been added: No less than four
hours time shall be charged to en-
ployer for any work performed during
either half Of any one day. When a
member reports for work at am, at
shop in which he is working, or where
he has been notified to report for work,
and is not put to work, he shall be en-;
titled to and receive four hours pay.
This means that if I have small half
hour job for one man and he does moth
| ing else in that particular half day,
must pay him the full half day s wages.
[ cannot, however. charge it to the Gus
toner. In addition the new scale de-
mands a half holiday on Saturday, al
tho we are not, to be compelled to pay
! for more than that one half
| "Here is another sample of what we
have to contend, with. When we have
a job outside Of town we must pay all
railroad fare and board and in addition
pay for the time used in travelling, at the
regular rate. Then laborer employed
by a master plumber cannot do any
work. inside a building except digging
tain joints and devices which are easily
applied and in addition states that al
die work, on everything except thu
largest pipe, must be done by hand an(
not by machine, which is much cheape:
and quicker.
cycles during working hours. If
should ask man to take a wrench am
20 out on little hurry-up job on his hi
cycle, would be turned down. We ar
not allowed to hire or have any appren
tees. If I bring my son in the shop t
learn the business every union man II
the place would walk out and woul
be called on by the business agent
There are not enough good plumber
, now and no way Of getting more bu
, by training them. If an employee want
, to talk to ME about the business or an
: matter connected with it, he must do j
, during business hours only and dra'
his pay for it,. H. ,s-~.,.- .gzs,,,t.
} zone Of the worst rules is Article Il
| which reads as follows: mo membe
shall work in any shop where more tina
} one master plumber handles tools, sal
master to be, designated as the one wh
is to handle thu tools.' According
this. rule, two u practical plumbers WI
: are in husine ss,f 3ss masters, cannot bot
q work. One tmuAt be designated as til
! one allowed to work in the shop and tn
!, other; cannot, under any circumstance
D handle tools. ..- ss@i :
e "There are other restrictions; b,
8 these will give, some idea Of what
l. costs to be a master plumber. The 81
s uation is continually growing :. wors
:, with no prospect of relief in sight,