The wageworker., 1906-10-12
NEWS OF THE NORTHWEST.

How Matters Industrial Are Progress
ing in That Busy Section.
| Spokane, Wash, Oct. 17-Edward
McMorrow, international organizer
for the street railway men, and E. A.
Cooney, local organizer for the Amer
| ican Federation of Labor, have formed
a union of street railway carmen, with
a charter membership of 200. The
| purpose of the organization is to bet
| ter the condition of it's members.
| Spokane had similar union three
years ago, but owing to the lack of
| interest the union gave up it's charter.
AT that time there was no opposition.
nor is there this year; however, the
union was not recognized, the several
| companies maintaining their right to
| employ men regardless of the union.
It is purposed to increase the mem
bership to take in every man in the
employ of the electric lines and pre-
sent a new wage schedule next spring
At present the men appear to be salts
granted by several lines.
E. A. Cooney, president of the Cen
trail Labor Union and local organizer
for the American Federation of Labor
the convention of the American Fed
GRAFTON at Minneapolis, Mimi, Novenl-
Der s.
A. G. Anderson, business agent of
the Federal Union, says in a note: 81
can place six men in positions paying
$3.50 day if they are capable OF
cement finishing. We have many OF
these men in our union, but there is
more work than men. Besides the ce
ment finishers, can also place a mum
Der Of laborers.''
Reports submitted to the Central
Labor Union of Spokane at it's last
meeting show that the wages of boiler
makers on railroads have been in
creased from 371a to 80 cents an hour
the scale for helpers being raised from
$2.12 to S2.15 a day.
Unions affiliated with the Central
Labor body of Spokane showed an un
usual increase in membership, it being
reported that per capita taxes had
been paid for 2,127 members, with
more than 500 yet to pay. Practically
every union in the city, with the ex
ception of the carpenters, is now list
ed with the central body, which is
stronger today than it has ever been
in its history The conservative esti
mate of the number of union men in
Spokane places the figure at 4,000
National Organizer Burton of tho
Street Car Mems Union, at meet
ing of the Central Labor Union a few
nights ago, announced that that or
ganization is in fiourishing condition
and gives promise of being successful
in every way He will leave in few
days for the east, stopping at Duluth
Mimi, and the Twin Cities on the
way.
]. y. Shrader of Portland, Ore, ma
tional organizer fer Washington ant
Oregon of the United Brotherhood o.
|
large gathering of working men il
Oliver hall. Sunday evening, on Cor
ganized Labor, It's Cause, Effect anG
Object"
| Joseph H. Boyd, president and gen
eral manager of the National Irof
Works, and former president of ths
city council of Spokane, announced
after conference with G. w. Miller
business agent for the structura
trades, that he will hereafter run a,
, open shop No trouble is threatened
, but Mr.. Miller is of the opinion tha
: it is only question of a short time
when the closed shop rule will pre-
1 vail.
!. the Local 73 of the Internationa
: Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
I Local 101 of the Teamsters' Uniol
+ added four members to its list at tn
last meeting. The business agent re
t ported that all members of the unio1
S are employed, and general state o
prosperity is being enjoyed by tn
teamsters of Spokane.
Union men have agreed to retur
to work on the stables and wago
sheds under construction for til
Washington Water Power company
J. Frank Johnson, contractor, havin
made it clear to the union that h
n never employed non-union workers.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.