The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-10-14
PRINTERS STRIKE IS Still ON 4. T. T.
TYp01nfTH METHODS EXPOSED
Beginning of Second Week in Printers hHour Strike
Finds Men Firm and Determined to Win-Bad Work
Being Turned Out by Local Print Shops
Local Members Of Typohetae Have Been Charging Excessive
Prices for Printing for Years-They Run Closed Shops
for Bosses-Have Been Robbing Public.

The beginning of the second week
of the printers strike for the eight
hour workday has brought the en-
| ployers and men no nearer together,
but every point scored during the
week was entirely in favor Of the
men.
Some of the firms succeeded in get
ting stray printer, but they were no
sooner at work when committee
from the union had them In tow.
They would be taken to the head
quarters of the union in the Labor
| World Hall, and there explained the
purpose of the union. In every case
| the non-union men were cared for
and sent on their way rejoicing, and
promising that they would stand by
! their fellow men in the strike for a
humane work day.
| A very amusing incident occurred
this week. A boss printer who in
ordinary times is very high strung,
and who seldom has any relation
with his men, except on business.
| happened to get q printer from q
country office, and for fear the union
would reach the man and explain to
| him the principles of unionism, our
boss printer friend remained con-
stantly in the company Of his print
er. When evening came he was
taken to the job printers home, and
never for one moment was he per-
mitted to get out of sight, but tho
union fetched him, and today he is
one of the strikers.
| John Christie Taken Back.
| It must have been q severe blow
to John Christie this week to have
Beta Council, of the Modern Samari-
tans send back to him job OF print
ing because it did not bear the union
label. The work was duplicated by
David Adams, the union printer OF
the West End. The typographical
work too. widely differed. and at the
headquarters of the union the print
ers have both cards hung up on their
| bulletin board. Mr.. Christie's work
looks little like the old jobs the firm
previously did. It would be serious
for Mr.. Christie If his firm looses its
time honored reputation for clean
and up to date typographical work,
but this will surely happen if he con-
tinues to turn. out such a: botch job
as. he: did for the Modern Samaritans
lthis Week,
- Job Printers ,Trast. 9. sFsas 8
/ Hditorially, the Labor World treats
this week with phase of the strike
that ought to be considered by all
people who have printing to do. We
charge that the typothetae is trust;
that it has the closed shop for it's
! own members; that no one can sue
cessfully conduct printing establish
ment in this city without first MAX
ing terms with the boss printers
! trust; that they have uniform scale
of prices which are out of proportion
with those charged in other cities,
and that their organization Is con-
Quoted in violation of the antitrust
laws of the state.
The printers union has in the past
paid little attention to this phase OF
the question. 1t was thought to be
more of the public's business. So
long as the bosses we're willing to
employ them, and pay them living
scale of wages, the union did not care
to win the enmity of the employers.
But like most men who want big pro-
fits, and who glory in charging OK
orbitant prices they seem to want to
"hog'' the whole thing. They ap-
pear to desire the whole success of
the business, and have not the de-
cency to share q small portion Of
their excessive profits with the men.
| A reduction in the hours of labor
amounts to an increase in wages. The
printers do not ask for more money!
but for Just Ave hours time each week
for social Improvement. This, the
bosses deny them.
Their Position Unjustified.
Are they justified in refusing to
agree with their men, in face of the
fact that they have been robbing the
public for the past six years through
their system of organization by which
no printer is permitted to bid fer
work for less price than his COM
petitor? :i<">'
We charge the members of the
typothetate with bodily, wilfully and
Intentionally extorting from - the
county of St. Louis and the city Of
Duluth large sums OF money each
year because of excessive charges for
printing, and we can prove our charge
from the vouchers on file in the Of
fees of the county auditor and city
comptroller. -.
These are the men who are claim
ing the sympathy of the public
against the printers union, whose de-
mand for an eight hour day is the
logical and natural result Of the
march of progress Of the American
laborer.' = --.
The printers will win their strike
because it is right; because the best
printers In the United States are in
the union, and the employers need
this kind of men to conduct their
business. :. They will win this strike,
even IL it takes years to fight 1t out.
because their demand and their posi-
tion is a conservative one. & ~. q
Some Bosses Are Inconsistent.
= laa