The Minneapolis journal., 1905-10-11
CITY NEWS
TELLS STORY OF
EIGHI.HOUR FIGHT
JOHN w. HAYS FURNISHES HIS
TORY OF CONTROVERSY.


States that Printers Have Endeavored
from the First to Make Amicable Set
tlement.
John w. Hays, first vice president of
the International Typographical union,
which has in hand the work IN connec-
tion with the introduction OF the eight
hour workday, and who has been active
! ly identified with the movement since
| it's inception, has furnished L y u r
n with an interesting history OF the
controversy between the union and the
employers Mr.. Hays is in Minneapolis,
| and is watching developments in st.
! Paul and thruout the entire northwest.
| His article is published in its entirety,
and is regarded by the officers of the
union as a fair and just presentation OF
facts relative to the present difficulty.
He says:
and Job offices thruout the country was
! ten hours up to Nov. 81, 1898. The
month previous to that time an agree
ment was entered into between COM
mittee representing the Typothetae and
the internationally Typos graphical union,
| by which, on the above date, nine and
one-half hours became the workday for
a period of one year, since which time
! nine hours has been the workday in ali
book and job offices in the country.
! ''At the time the above agreement
was made it was understood no further
attempt should be made to shorten the
workday for a period Of five years, al
tho no specific agreement was made to
that effect.
"The first agitation for the eight
hour day was at the typographical
hold II, P1rp, n oham
Ala, in 1901, when resolution was pre-
sented Intending ITO establish the uni
versal eight-hour workday.' The COM
mittee reported this resolution back to
| the convention without recommended
tion, believing the time inopportune
for the establishment of an eight-hour
day. and it was laid on the table.
CAT the Cincinnati convention in 1902
several propositions were presented on
the same line, and referred to COM
mittee, which reported the following as
substitute for all of them:
That the executive council of the
International Typographical union and
the first vice president are directed to
act as a committee for the purpose of
devising and putting into effect plans
for the establishment Of an eight-hour
day thruout the jurisdiction of the In
ternational Typographical union at as
early date as practicable.
"''That the said committee bring the
matter before tho National Typothetae,
to the end that the eight=hour day may
be put into operation without friction.
This was unanimously adopted.
Fifteen Minutes Year
"The above named eight-hour COM
mittee made it's first report to the con-
vention held in Washington, D. c., in
1908, the report containing the follow
ing statement: Various methods have
been suggested whereby the eight t-hour
day car. be generally put into effect in
book and job rooms, and all of these
have merit. One of these suggestions
which largely appeals to our members
ployers is that the working time shall
be reduced fifteen minutes each year
for four years, or until the eight-houl
day is an accomplished fact.'
"You will see by this action that ii
was the desire of the Typographical
, union to establish the eight day
, in manner that would be entirely fair
to the employing printers of the coun
} try and without friction.
. "FolloWing the adjournment of the
4 Washington convention the union eight
5 hour committee took up the work with
4 thih object in view, and previous tc
7 the convention of the United Typothe
tae of America, held in st. Louis the
, following June .(1904), letter was ad
B dressed to the secretary Of the typothe
5 tae Whicn contained the following:
cit has been frequently intimated b.
local associations of the Hypothetical
that the eight-hour day was an issue
Z that should be adjusted between tht
International Typographical union ant
the United Typothetae of America, ant
y that these local associations were will
ing to accept and put into effect an,
, conclusions that might be arrived at b.
D the higher bodies. So often, indeed
has this intimation been made, and il
s unions. that the eight hour committee
& for the International Typographical
nuion is prepared and anxious to dem
z onstrate the effectiveness Of the suq
p gestion. Therefore, our eight-hour com
mittee, or majority of that committee
D eenth annual convention, which, W
understand, will be held during tn
B week commencing Monday, June q
d 1904, in the convention hall Of tn
Century building. Our committee wi
q at that time, or at such time during tn
3 week as. may be designated by you
& convention, be pleased to- meet a CON
G mittee representing your associatio
1oooACAO3 l
4 conclusion that may be submitted to tn
= United Typothetae Of America and tn
International Typographical union fc
consideration and possible ratification
Conventions Position.
s'At this typothetae convention con
mittee was appointed to meet the typ
graphical union s committee in compl
ance with the above request, and at tn
first meeting of the two committees
- was agreed that before any defnit
action was taken the convention shotl]
be asked to declare it's position on tt
shorter work day proposition in ordt
that no misunderstanding might folio
{. which would permit Of local employer
claiming that it was rejected becaus
of the naming of a specific date by tt
e union committee and mot for the re-
- son that the typothetae was opposed
II the eight-hour day. ~
l. 1.-THE. Typothetae committee then r
4 ported back to the convention, and
>. the following day handed to the typ
; graphical eight-hour committee col
ID Of the following resolutions, which h;
hoon odontod hv tho h o+ 40