The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1905-01-20

ing extended to all classes of organized
labor. The results have been so uni
formly satisfactory and the system SO
popular with all classes that The Wage
worker has. been making little inves-
tigation on its own account to determine
just how so beneficial a measure came
into vogue so quietly and has been OPP
Grated with SO little friction. Thereby
hangs an interesting story which is now
given to the public for the first time.
Spasmodic efforts to put the eight
hour system in force have been tried in
Lincoln many times only to fail because
of lack of definite organization and up
to the time the present system was put
into force among the building trades, the
only class of labor able to fix it's own
hours of work has been the brick
layers union which has maintined the
eight hour day for several years.
EARLY in the spring of 1902 an organ
ization was prosecuted among the build
ing Contractors Of the city resulting in
the present Builders Exchange. This or
ganization is peculiar in the fact that
from. the beginning it showed a disposi-
tion to consider the right of the working
class to have place on earth, and soon
after it's formation several leading con-
tractors began to quietly agitate the
matter of shorter hours of labor.
4 The Wageworker has made some in
quiry to enable it to fix the responsibility
among those most prominent in this
movement were contractors 7. p. Har-
rison. G. A. Schaaf, Geo. A. Wilson, H.
A. Stephens, d. B. Howard, J. j. Butler
(recentfy deceased) and Frank Odel], the
latter at that time secretary Of the
Builders Exchange.
The carpenters union was at that time
a weak and struggling organization with
a membership of about twenty-five. but
they had the nerve to come up to the
scratch as soon as the employers asso-
citation was formed and ask specifically
for the exclusive employment of union
labor and shorter hours of work.
81 The contractors in return received their
request with courtesy and while they did
not at that time see their way clear to
establish the closed shop, they did by
resolution pledge themselves to give pref
4erence to the employment of union labor,
a pledge which they have kept with
uniform fairness ever since.
4 The gentlemen above named kept up
their agitation among the contractors for
shorter hours. This family journal has
probed into state secrets far enough to
learn that Messrs. Harrison. Odell, How
ard. Stephens, Butler, Wilson, Schaaf
and possibly one or two others, kept
up am .t,1ceasng' agitation at the meet
ings of the Exchange. until they sue
ceeded in putting into force about the
first of June. 1902, a nine hour day for
carpenters and building laborers on four
days notice. Be it said to the ever
lasting honor of the contractors of Lin
coin that out of some fifty firms repre-
sented in this organization not more
than two failed to Immediately put this
rule in force although it came at time
when most of them We're carrying heavy
contracts and nearly all were up against
an almost certain loss of money on their
labor account of the change at such
a time.
The Wageworker knows of no para
llel case in the annals of the labor move
ment The carpenters were the most
surprised of any one, for they had no
reason to anticipate such a sweeping
victory and the most surprising thing
Of all was that there was reduction of
wages by the employers, the prevailing
wage for the preceding ten hour day be-
ing kept in force.
When the roll of fame is written of
those who have helped labor in it's bat
tie for recognition the names of those
VINO brought about this condition in Lin
coin should stand near the top, for never
in history has a more unselfsh action
action been performed by employers.
1t is not surising that the carpenters
union took heart and began to grow. 1t
is not surprising that the contractors
began to find that the union men were
working to the interest of their employ
l.
the carpenters had an open meeting or
a social tnat the contractors We're the
guests of honor and that each organ
liza tion We'd with the other to which
could outdo in courtesy
1t only took few months to show the
contractors that the nine hours day was
a success from every point of view and
then the same stalwart agitators began
their fight for the eight hour day. How
long and strenuous was this fight is
known only to the inner circles of the
contractors organization, but enough
has leaked out to prove conclusively
that the few who had taken up the
battle for recognition of organized labor
never knew defeat, although defeat star
ed them in tine face constantly and more
timid souls would have given up.
Up to the spring of 1908 there was no
agreed scale of wage for carpenters. In
December, 1902, the carpenters unions.
now arrived at the dignity of three sep
arate bodies. represented by district
council. presented to the contractors or
ganiZation a request for a conference to
fix hours of labor and a scale of wages
for the year 1908. This request was i'm
mediately granted and representatives of
termine the details of the agreement.
The carpenters came into the confer
asking for three points of agree
ment, viz: The closed snop, the eight
hour day and a minimum scale of 371.
cents per hour.
The contractors organization voted
unanimously for the eight hour day,
but baked on the other two propositions
and compromise agreement was effect
ed the basis of the open shop with
a pledged preference for union labor and
a minimum scale Of 321@ cents per hour.
This agreement went into force on April
L. 1908. and was subsequently ratified for
the year 1904.
So far as known the conditions of the
agreement nave been fairly observed by
both parties and the best of feeling
continues to prevail between the two
bodies
While the minimum scale has been in
force the majority of first class union
workmen have been receiving consider
ably in excess of the scale and the con-
tractors appear willing to advance wages