The San Francisco call., 1907-01-27

steamhtters must belong to the plumb
/ ers' organization.
For this reason all union men asso-
ciated with the Building Trades have
/ been ordered not to work with mem
! bers Of the Steamfitters Union. al
. though its members are as stanch
union men as any in the city. This
situation has given rise TO endless
/ complications and much friction. The
/ American Federation Of Labor has
been asked 10 settle the difficulty but
/ owing to the absence Of President
Samuel Gompers the matter has drag
ged along.
Gompers has returned from Cuba
however, and the matter was at once
I brought to his attention. In accord
ance with his instructions the local
/ Labor Council has received a telegram
from Secretary Morrison Of the Amer
I lean Federation of Labor. which states
that the matter viii be taken up and
settled at the first meeting Of the eX-
ecutive council This decision Will be
awaited with great anxiety by the
/ unions
Thomas L. Hughes. secretary treas
urer Of the International Brotherhood
! Of Teamsters, has sent a telegram to
/ the Labor Council opposing the seating
Of the delegates of Transfers Union
No. S5 in that body, as it has severed
/ its connection with the International
The Council took no action in the
premises.
The bill presented to the Legislature
4 by the BARRIERS of San Francisco has
1 been given the fun Endorsement Of the
Labor Council of this city.
The machinists Of the Pittsburg dis
4 trict have decided to take a referen-
dun vote upon the advisability OF
I N.-A--a IL 4
/ mands, which have been refused by
I their employers. The action Of the
! executive board in ordering a refer
endum vote on a strike makes the sit
/ patton IN the iron trades Of the Pitts
4 burg district one Of the utmost gravity,
and labor men in this city who are well
informed as TO the situation declare
! that there is little doubt that unless
the employing firms recede Pittsburg
I viii see a strike of the iron trades that
will assume national Importance The
propositions on which the referendum
vote is being taken are these:
shall the machinists Of Pittsburg
and vicinity demand a minimum rate
/ Of 30 cents an hour to go into effect
on May l? Shall we demand a 10 per
] cent increase for all machinists that
/ are receiving 40 cents an hour or over
/ at the present timer Shall we demand
. a 10 per cent increase for all special
/ men, such as those employed about
lathe and screw machines? Shall we
demand the dfty-hour week, nine
/ hours every day except Saturday, when
/ the men shall only be employed FIVE
hours? Shall we order a strike If
/ these conditions are not secured or
some understanding satisfactory to
/ our offices reached2'
The return from the vote on these
questions must be in by March ].
Retail Delivery Drivers Union No
4 27S met at All Haight street a few
/ evenings ago. with A Giesn in the
/ chair Five candidates were obligated
and fifteen applications for member
ship received. The Following commit
tee on high jinks and picnic was ap-
pointed: J. Hynes, j. Mulhall and o.
/ Carter. The local is discussing ways
and means for inaugurating a sick
benefit fund.
The surprise Of Friday nights cleo
ton at the Labor Council was the vic
tory Of J. J. Kenny for financial sec
retary over the incumbent Paul Schar-
I renberg. Even the most ardent sup
porters Of the newly elected secretary
1 did not believe that he had a chance
to defeat Scharrenberg. Kenney is a
member of the local Steamhtters'
Union.
The Labor Council at its last meet
I ing boycotted the tailoring firm Of Nc
! Mahon, Keyer & Sbeigeler Bros. The
! jOuneymen tailors have for number
OF months been endeavoring TO adJusi
the difficulty with this firm and at one
time believed that they could do so
but the negotiations failed.
The delegate from the Barber shop
! POrters and Bathhouse Employees
Union at the meeting Of the Labor
/ Council on Friday evening stated that
I the Sutro Baths have been thoroughly
/ unfoniZed and that all employees have
been granted a 25 per cent increase in
wages. This is one Of the largest per
/ centages Of increase that has ever been
granted a union in san Francisco.
/ Freight Handlers and Warehouse
mems Union has decided not to raise
the initiation fee until February 90
after which date il will be IS. Presi-
/ dent T. NJ cronin reports that the
union is in a hourishing condition. It
4 has recently secured headquarters at
Bluxome street.
The alliance between the farmers and
/ the labor unions in the South. which
was mentioned in this column a few
days ago, has been accepted by the
! Chicago Federation OF Labor. and with
+ in thirty days farmers in States near
Chicago will be able to ship all kinds
OF farm produce to a distributing house
I in charge OF the Federation of Labor.
! The produce viii then be placed in the
/ hands OF grOcerymen handling strict
/ ly union made goods. who viii sell the
4 farm truck at a profit OF 10 per cent,
which will be the only profit taken out
between producer and consumer
The adherents Of the plan declare
that under the present conditions mid
4 dlemen and retailers get at least 40
per cent OF the retail price OF farm
produce. BY the new system the
/ farmer and consumer will share this
profit In consideration Of this plan
Of selling their produce the farmers
agree to buy nothing that does not
carry the union label and TO support