The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-11-23


Japanese workmen to secure better
working conditions and more pay
Officials of the PENNSYLVANIA rail
| road say that while ten per cent. adj
vance of wages is being considered
| nothing definite has been decided on.
| Twenty-Five charters were issued by
! the American Federation OF Labor dur
| ing the month of September as fol-
lows: Central bodies, 4; federal labor
unions, q; local trade unions, IS. Re-
turns from 1913 unions, with an aggre-
gate membership of 10000, showed
that there were SO per cent. out of
employment in September. In the pre-
ceding month 2045 unions, with a
membership of 123,600, reported is
per cent. out of work.
| 1t has become known that the Tex
| tile council, representing the five tex
| tile unions Of Fall River, Mass, has
| forwarded a request to the Manufac-
turers' association asking for ten
per cent. advance in wages. Wages
| in the textile industry are based upon
the price paid for weaving cut of g.
/ inch, Cd by 81 print cloth. The price
| at the present time is 1880 cents and
| the price asked for is PITS cents,
which was paid prior to 1908.
| The total number of women en-
gagged in gainful occupations in 1900
was 5,319,397, says the Technical
World Magazine, which goes into in
teresting details as to the various
callings, which this large body of wo-
| men earned their bread, some of
| which are unique At the rate of in
crease between 1890 and 1900 there
cannot be short OF 100000 at work
at present in various trades and occu-
pations in the United States of Amer
| lea.
! The Panama locomotive engineers
demand for an increase of $45 a month
to make their pay 1926 month has
been refused. 1t is said the engineers
committee was informally offered 5000
month, provided an agreement was
made for one year. This was refused.
There has been talk of strike, and
| the government has kept in it's en-
ploy reserve Of native and Jamaican
engineers, whose pay is $45 a month.
A strike of the engineers would COM
pletely paralyze canal operations.
| Henry C. Barter, secretary of the
| International Longshoremen's associa-
| ton, has resigned his position and the
| resignation has been accepted by the
executive board. Barter has been sec
rotary of the association since its for-
nation, and has done much to build it
| up from few lumber vessels unload
ers to its present proportions, embrac
ing nearly 100000 men in 40 separate
Ind distinct crafts. He has threat
ened to resign number of times when
/ affairs did not go to his liking, but he
has actually done it this time.
| While the Iron holders union has
| recently achieved a number of vic
| TOTES in the contest it has been carry
ing on in various sections of the coun-
| try against the National Foundrymen'S
association, the organization of the
employers, there are 5000 men still
out on strike in 80 cities. Each of
| these is receiving seven dollars week
| strike benefits, a total weekly eXpendi-
ture of $21 900 from the national treas
| ury. The funds to carry on the con-
| hict are provided through weekly
membership dues of 35 cents for 4S
weeks and so cents for the remaining
four weeks. Eighty per cent. of the
receipts go into the national treasury,
providing a weekly income of SIS, 900,
more than sufficient to meet all strike
benefit demands.
All yard and ainservice men in the
| employ of American railroads now
| have united in demanding a fiat in.
crease of ten cents an hour.
In 1866 the first national labor con-
gress was held at Baltimore on August
20. This body met annually in differ
ent cities for several years thereafter.
The wages of all employees of the
Pennsylvania railroad system on lines
east and west of Pittsburg are to be in
creased probably ten per cent. Near
ly 10000 men will be affected. 1t is
probable the increase will be effective
on December I. The increase will
cost the railroad company $1,000,000
month.
The United Brotherhood of Carpen-s
tiers and Joiners is in a close race
with the United Mine Workers for the
largest membership. For the month
of July the carpenters paid per capita
tax into the American Federation of
Labor for $4,000 members, while the
miners paid for August on 1896. In
the convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor votes are counted on
the basis of one vote for each 100
members, SO the carpenters and the
miners will have something to say
about shaping policies.
Negative replies have been sent by
managers Of all st. Louis lines and the
Terminal association to demands of
the switchmen for an eight hour day
and an increase in the wage scale.
They declare the former request inn
practicable, but are disposed to in
crease the scale.
The Delaware, Lackawanna & West
ern Railroad company switchmen's
grievance committee, in session here.
when their demands for increased
c,ococ ond o;Uht bo,1r dow woro 70