The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-11
MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
SEVERAL sEYERI N MEETINGS Of
OPPOSING FORCES FAIL
Conference After Conference
in Building Strike Failed
to Bring Settlement.
Building Laborers Union Was
Center of Attack-Propo-
sitions from Employers.

sAt4OAS AIOu1 G1up4OyeIS'
AS we 90 to press the news is hur-
ried through the city that the great
strike of the building trades is near
Ing complete settlement, and the work
ingmen and contractors are congrat-
ulating themselves that thee war is
over"
The story of the settlement will be
found elsewhere. The following is the
labor version of the dispute during
Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday
morning of this week:
Two conferences were held on Mon
day and Tuesday respectively. These
were not productive of any material
results. The board of governors for
the Building Trades Alliance Is &C.
unions involved, and their behavior in
the conferences Is matter Of favor
able comment.
The committee from the Builders
Exchange, with one possible excep-
tion, also treated the union represen-
tatives with due courtesy which be-
comes honorable men.
There have been offers and counter
offers passing between the conflicting
parties during the past few days, and
for day or two it seemed as II the
end was in sight, only to be prolonged
again by some trifling disagreement.
The situation on Wednesday was
about as follows as applied to each
union: First the electrical workers,
whose demand is tor so cents an hour
and straight rate of $3.50 per day
for apprentices who have served more
than two years, have been placed in a
trying situation, because their en-
ployers are the only ones who at
tempted to import strike breakers.
It is alleged that the employers once
offered the union 1880 per day, but as
most of them were getting that price,
and many of them we're getting $4.00,
the offer held no inducements.
The employers also demanded that
the wages should apply only to Duluth
and that the union should employ a
business agent, whose duty 1t would
be to stop street contractors from get
ting any work. The union offered, 80
1t is claimed, to agree to confineayits.
members to conditions which might
prevail on any job outside of the city.
For instance If the nine hour day was
In vogue on any job, the electrical
workers would work the time, but If
the eight hour day was practiced, then
the men would only work that number
of hours.
At the conference held up to mid
night Wednesday the committees did
not reach the wage scale.
It is a notable fact that the employ
ing electrical firms In Superior are
paying their electrical workers at the
rate of $4.O0 per day. Why go to St.
Paul or Minneapolis for comparative
figures, when we have some very
striking ones SO close to home?
Timers Had Their Troubles.
The demands of the Timers were
modest indeed. They ask for the $4.00
day, an increase of 40 cents, and a.
change in the helper and apprentice
question.
The employers offered the same
scale as was in force last year, except
that they wished to be able to use their
own discretion about the number Of
helpers to be used on steel ceilings
and other kinds of work.
The discussion. of the Timers
grievances was in no way reached at
the conferences held Monday and
Tuesday.
Carpenters Demands are Popular
All the Carpenters ask for is 45
cents an hour, and as the people dis
cuss their wage scale, they become
surprised to learn that the followers
of the trade of the Nazarene are so
modest in their demands. It is be-
lieved that in the settlement the car
penters will receive due and proper
recognition.
Roofers Asked to Dlsband.
The Roofers union proposed a wage
scale OF 471z cents per hour for jour-
neymen and 42h cents per hour for
helpers, no provision being made for
the number OF helpers to be used. The
employers replied by asking the union
to disband and join the Timers union
"A0A0 tAOy WOu1u Jdlh business Win
them. The union very promptly re-
fused the generous offer of their EN-.
ployers.
Builders Laborers Assailed.
The poor underpaid, over-worked and
much.abused building laborer is the
unfortunate victum Of this Industrial
dispute. He asks for wage scale of
36 cents an hour for the 8, 8h or q
hour day, and the counter proposition
from the contractors is that the labor
ers should give up jurisdiction over
all concrete work on all foundations
which constitutes the greater part Of
their labor on building; that thew
should adopt 80 day apprentice sys.
tenn with any kind of wage for the
apprentice, and that they should re.
turn to work at the old price thus glv-
ing up most of which they have al.
ready secured. In other words, thew
were practically asked to give up their
union.
81 We never yield to the labor.