The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-29
SPOKANE UNIONS ARE
STILL VERY ACTIVE
Electrician on Pacific Coast Get
Good Increase in Wage
Scale.
Independent Telephone Company
of Spokane Declares War
on Unions.


! on Unions.
Spokane WASH; Dec. 20.-F. M
Allen, business agent of the Elec.
trical Workers union of Spokane
announces that the new wage scale
granting. advance of SO cents day
has been agreed to by the Pacific
States Telephone & Telegraph com
pany effective Feb. 1, 1907, while
the company will operate on the
'open shop basis, preference is
always give to union men, though
in small towns where there are NO
unions or where it is difficult to
secure union men, non-union work
men are employed. This is said to
be fairly satisfactory to the cleo
trical workers, but the union will
keep working to have the compa-
ny employ union men exclusively.
Home Telephone Unfair.
The Home Telephone company re-
fuses to settle with the labor unions
of Spokane except on an open
shop basis, allowing employment of
either union or non-union men
a settlement that will not be con-
sidered by the unions. The ulti-
matum of the open shop was given
by President Godfrey, to Grand
Vice President Sullivan of the cleo
trical workers. union at Portland,
several days ago, according to a
telegram received by the local
electrical workers.
Sand pat" is the advice sent to
the local MONS, and the unions are
planning vigorous campaign. It
has been decided to hold meetings
every Sunday night to discuss the
situation, and merchants and bust
ness men will be asked not to use
the new system.
Central Labor Body.
The report of the committee of
the Central Labor union visiting
the city commissioners and an
nouncing that the Home Telephone
company had been unable to pro-
ceed with its work was greeted
with cheers by the delegates at
the last meeting. The resignation
OF Charles H. Cole, secretary of
the union, was received and John
McChesney of the Musicians union
was appointed. Mr.. Cole was forced
TO resign on account of absence
from the city, Mr.. McChesney was
also chosen as delegate to. the con-
vention of the State Federation of
Labor, to be held at Bellingham
January 2. The convention will
consider bills: of interest to the la
Dor unions and may send commit
tee to Olympia to see how the: leg
islators live up to their. promises
on the referendum, the initiative and
the direct primary laws.
~,>~ ...,. Plumbers Get Gay. -... :
John .Pennewell a member of
the Spokane Carpenters union, who
was beaten by plumbers while
working on building some time
ago, has sent bill of 119 to the
Structural Building Trades alliance
as damages for injuries sustained
and the physicians bill. In his
statement to the alliance Penne-
we'll alleges that he was attacked
because he had demanded. the
working card of the plumbers, as
ne had been instructed to- do. The
alliance Is considering the uues-
ton Of payment.
BARRIERS Union ProsDerous.
with only four shops on the un-
fair list and the largest member
snip IN the history of Spokane the
BARRIERS union is enjoying a period
OF unexampled prosperity. Durfne
november the receipts were larger
IMAM two years ago the union num-
pered less than 40 members, while
the roll at present show 14O In
good standing. Working condi.
lions throughout the city are said
to be satisfactory and every mem.
Der OF the union is reported as
steadily employed.
Women Dress Like Men.
Capt. w. Bentley, Just returned
from the Northland, says that full.
~ one-thfrd of the Hindus that
nave come to Grand Forks, B. G..
10 work on the Canadian railroads
ana camps are women disguised as
men: he is In close touch with
the Hindus, he has given the brown
men more attention than any othe,
resident of the district, and his
statement IS accepted without dis.
pute. ne says the Hindus women
are much better toilers than the
mon IN most instances the wo.
men have sought employment As
woodcutters' an occupation with
Wnlch they are made familiar II
India -
Settle Wage Scale,
Engineers on the Oregon Raj,
way & Navigation company's line.
headed by O: Barnhart of Spokane
were at Portland this week in con-
ference with General suner,n
tendent Buckley over wapl
schedules. The engineers >hav<
asked for a readjustment and have
gwen notice that the pendinf
agreement between the comnan1
and the engineers will be ahrooat
ed.
Women Clerks Admitted
l. Women clerks in Spokane stores
oy r. ~