The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-11
Sheet Metal Workers and Build
ing Laborers Receive Material
Increases in Wages-The Labor
ers are the Heroes Of the Great
Struggle.
No Open Shop in the Building
Trades 49, Builders Exchange
Seems to be Perfectly Satisfied
With Having Only Members Of
Unions on Their Work.
Union Labor Extends the Hand Of
Fellowship and Good Will to
Contractors, and Appreciation
Deep from the Heart to Bishop
McGolrick.

McCOG1Ck.
an instant.
Even If the cost Of meats and GRO
ceries were the same here as In other
cities, the fuel item alone would be
sufficient to- warrant a differential in
wages. While winter heaters are laid
aside In other cities, they are burning
full blast In Duluth, and the coal bill
still continues.
The cost of extra clothing; too, ac-
counts for much. Summer garments
are never popular here until the sea-
son has long been spent In the other
cities. It costs money to clothe a
family comfortably in Duluth.
We are almost afraid to venture into
discussion of the rent question, for
fear we will lose our reputation for
calmness. But it is admitted without
contradiction that rents in Duluth are
unreasonably high.
Duluth labor cannot buy more fuel,
warmer clothing, nor pay high rent
on st. Paul and Minneapolis wages,
and the Duluthian who wants local la
Dor to do so is asking something un-
reasonable
there are a certain class Of our peo-
pie, many of them living upon the
sweat OF labor, who raise their hands
In holy horror and cry: Labor wants
too much
When the members Of the lumber
trust sat about a banquet table in
Minneapolis recently and drank a.
toast to the new price on lumber,
arbitrarily fixed by the barons, not
murmer was heard from the press or
the pulpit.
When the material men sit in con-
ference and Ak q price ON brick, no sone
brick yard conditions. Tor It harms
but !: little for the owner "sot,f of a COM
| modify to say what he ought to- have
for it, except Of course, the possessor
| Of labor power.
We are not unmindful Of the fact
that the building contractor has his
troubles and grievances, just as does
the workingman. He is the victim
Of the combination Of manufacturers
on the one side, and the competition
Of his fellows on the other, while la.
Dor, the tail e1d of this industrial kite.
Is asked to work for less than a liv-
ing wage because OF the greed Of
others.
The Labor World stood with every
union in the contest. It believed that
| every trade from the Carpenter, Elec-
trical Worker and Timer to the COM
| mon. building laborer was asking for
nothing more than a fair wage.
Who is there to say that the build
ing laborer Is not worth $3.50 for an
eight-hour day? He thinks he is worth
| a great deal more. The contractor
! contends that he ought to receive less.
There is a point of difference.
We have been taught to believe that
| capital and labor were partners in in
dustry; that one should receive a fair
| wage for it's labor. Is the laborer
bound to accept the judgment of his
employer without a. protest, as to what
his share should be in applying his
efforts in the promotion Of the build
| ing industry?
The only way by which any amicable
understanding can be reached in any
| labor dispute is by an honest and
straightforward presentation to each
other Of the conditions and grievances
| of both. The strike could never have
been settled by meeting in conference
and calling each other bad names. or
as was done by one Of the committee
fom the Builders Exchange in Mon
days conference, by attacking the al
legged boyhood indiscretions of one Of
the labor committee, and this, too.
in a most ungallant manner. Let it be-
said, however, to the credit of the as
sailants associates, that they promptly
repudiated him and his course This
too, to the honor of the contractors of
Duluth.
1t was alleged by the papers, pur-
porting to give interviews from the
contractors that the unions had re-
fused to arbitrate. This was not the
truth. Labor has not, nor will labor
ever refuse to arbitrate, but it most
strenuously objected to the peculiar
brand Of arbitration suggested by the
Builders Exchange.
The trade unions have been through
the arbitration mill so many times.
and have gotten unwarranted ,decisions
50 frequently, that they desired rep
resentation from .workingmen on
boards Of arbitration. The other side
proposed that the grievances involved
be submitted TO board Of disinterest-
ed parties. This would exempt any
kind Of workingman, because board
Of arbitration as suggested by the
contractors would have been composed
exclusively Of others than members OF
the working class ). -, ..s5s:* Is 49,
The newspapers failed to comment.
upon 9 very important and creditable
feature Of the building trades strike.
We have. '. ! not heard Of one single VIOLA
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