The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-24
LABOR
TROUBLES FOR
BUILDING TRADES
CONTROVERSY OVER PLUMBERS
WAGE SCALE A MENACE.
Employers Expected to Resist the
Effectuation of the New Wage Scale
and Bitter Contest May Result-How
p the steamftters Figure in the Affair.

Apprehension is felt in building trade
circles lest the demands OF the plumbers
for an increase in the scale Of wages
be refused by the master plumbers ana
the whole building industry OF the cry
be tied up. Since the proposed scale
Of $3.50 a day was presented the en-
ployers have formed a local association
in which, it is said, all shops are rep,
resented. In addition the Building ana
Traders exchange is said to be back
ting the bosses in their determination TO
hold cut against the wages and condl-'
lions asked, for by the workmen.
Members of the union say that, When
fconpared with conditions existing IN
bother cities Of the same class as Mime IN
Eapolis, the price asked is fair: Ihey
saysthat $3.50 a day is paid In st. Paul,
Duluth, Superior and other. places, and
that the new rate, which includes the
introduction of a Saturday half holiday,
means an increase of but 70 cents a
week, outside of the halliday Saturday.
It is thought by some that the employ
ers will find some difficulty in securing
help from the outside points at any
thing less than the rate asked for by
1.-THE union, because of the higher rate
of pay prevailing elsewhere. ~ b..
- The Employers View. -.
+ Employers, on the other hand. seem
Ito. think that the pay and condilt1onns
Egoverning the working day are already
i Favorable to the workmen, and a ma,
4 iority are said to be in favor Of making
a stand if the union insists upon, an en-
forcement of the provisions OF the new
rate. AS a result of the strike: in st
| Paul. two years ago, for an increase to
the $3.50 a day rate, several OF the
largest shops are being operated on
!; non-union basis. To accomplish this re
T.
ployers, and if the Minneapolis firm:
conclude to. go into the fray it will be
( with full knowledge of just what they
, will have to contend with.
5 Altho two weeks have passed. since
the scale was presented to the employ
s, ers, not one has given any sign as u
t what will be done in the way Of &C
: lby some to indicate that they have de
termined to reject the terms proposed
= and will have nothing further to d'
Il with the union as far as the making o.
. wage agreement is concerned 70
t some time it has been the custom, II
t. Minneapolis, for the employers and tn
t union to come to an understanding Il
b the matter Of wages and hours Wlthou
s resorting to an ironclad contract, an
: in former years the union simply pre-
q sented scale, set time for its bScon
Z ing operative, and it went into etfec
e without much ceremony. But hereto
e fore it has been pretty we'll understoo
o that the terms involved were acceptabl
y to the employers.
It Mangan. Persuasive.
e Another thing that may have som
g bearing upon the controversy is tn
ir decision Of the Steamftters union t
le stay out of the United Association
rs Plumbers. Every arrangement had bee
" made by the steamftters: to affilia1
,el with the Emitted association. eve
| to-. the application for a charts
al and the disposition Of the funt
r. of the local, together with tt
e. preparation Of a list of membe
-. to be sent to the general officers. IA
ty week John Mangan, general ottlc
& of the steamftters, came before Il
or1 Minneapolis local in an endeavor to 1
ID duce it to remain. His talk is said
i'd have borne fruit when it was. pointt
e, out. that the plumbers, in, submltt11
e, their new scale, had overlooked tao
1g agreement between the Two organlz
ri tions to allow the steamftters to pa
of upon the merits of the new wage seal
Iel =. The action Of the ~steamftters W,
81 have a tendency to, cemplicate: the: 81
IS. |5uation, and it is, not likely. they w
hei be found fighting the battle of Il
isl plumbers, should the present contr
1s versy develop into a strike. Beside
vsI as matters now stand, the formatl'
", of a pipe trades council seems more 7
on mote than ever.