The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-27
ELECTRICAL WORKERS
MAY GO ON STRIKE
Want 81 for Eiaht-Hour Day and other
Thlngs-Empioyers Reject
Terms.

It leaked out yesterday that organized
electrical workers in Birmingham have
declined to renew their contract with their
employers when it terminates May l, that
they have submitted TO their employers
terms upon which they will continue to
work. and that the employers have de-
elined to accept these terms.
Unless these differences between the
electrical workers and the employers can
be composed, it is reported that the cleo
trcal workers will strike.
Indications were plentiful yesterday that
no compromise will be made. In antici-
patton of the expected strike many per-
sons in Birmingham whose places of bus
mess were in need of electrical repairs.
had men at work all day getting things
in shape.
The contract drawn TIP May / last year
between the employers and local union
No. 1856 l. b. E. W., stipulates that no
change in the contract can be made with
out notice of three months being given.
The union, through Its president, q. A.
Leath, and It's secretary, w. p Reynolds,
sent out a notice dated February /, 1905"
in which the union set out the terms upon
which they would continue to work. These
terms embodied these nine conditions:
l. Members of tho union will not work
in non-unon shop.
.. They will not work on Labor Day,
except when life or property is in danger.
g. Sundays, Fourth of July, Thanksglv-
ing and Christmas shall be paid at the
rate of double time.
L. Members will not work in shop
where more than one helper or apprentice
is employed, and he is under the instruc-
tions of journeyman.
s. Eight hours shall constitute a day $
work. except Saturday. which shall be
seven hours. from 81. m, till noon, and
from / p. m, till p. M, at "a per day.
(1he present contract provides for nine
hour day at 80 a day)
g. The men must be paid not later than
4:SO o'elock on Saturday afternoon.
I. If journeyman or worker is started
to work in the morning, he shall receive
pay for one-half day. the same TO apply
to the afternoon.
g. Improper work done by journeyman
shall be corrected on his own time unless
he carries out the instructions Of his fore
man or blue prints, except general re-
pair work.
o. No journeyman shall be allowed to
do any work on or pertaining to any cleo
trical apparatus or wiring while In the
employ Of an contractor unless he shall
get special permission for same CFhis
clause intended, 1t Is said, to state that
no journeyman shall be permitted to do
any "outside" work, etc)
The employers, 1t is reported, Will resist
almost all these demands They say, to
begin with that the old contract provided
three months notice." and that they did
not receive the notice until February 8.
though it was dated February l." They
say that this Is really three days less
than the specified three months" and
that the old contract Is self-renewing.
The electrical workers dissent from this
view, saying that the necessary three
months notice was given, and that their
demands are reasonable. They do not in
tend to make any contract" so called,
but merely to adopt the foregoing rules"
to govern the relations between them
selves and their employers.