Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-07
IN LABOR CIRCLES
g.

| will be awaited with interest Several in
teresting phases have already arisen, and
1t is said there is a likelihood that the
tangled skein may yet have to be IN
raveled by the courts. In view of the ac-
ton of the committee of business agents
of the building trades in presenting to GER
| tain employers for their signatures agree
ments or contracts binding them to employ
none but union labor in the future a men,
Der of the employers association re-
| marked:
Should any Of the masters sign such a
paper and further embarrass the situation.
we Will, II necessary, create masters from
| the Workmen We employ, union or nom
uhlon' so our building operations can be
| carried on"
| To this labor leader declared that such
step by the employers would more than
likely be followed by the institution of in
junction proceedings by the unions at
fected
Another employer. referring to the prob
able importation of colored carpenters
'bricklayers and plasterers into the Dis
trict lnathe event of a general strike said:
An Object lesson is furnished by the
piasterers' strike in Richmond, Va, about
six years ago. The negro non-union plas-
terers practically drove the white ones
seven white plasterers in Richmond
At the forthcoming ffty-third annual
convention of the International Typograph-
lcai Union, which corvenes at Hot Springs,
Ark. Monday next, various plans will be
proposed and considered for the care of its
aged and infirm members who do not like
to go to the home maintained for them at
Colorado Springs. Col. scheme Of old
age pensions, deddcting a certain per cent
per week from The earnings of all men,
bers. proposed by Mr.. G. E. Boyle Of New
York city, and provision for those unable
to find employment and temporarily out of
work by reason of trade conditions by an
out-of-work benefit, proposed by Joseph
p. Goodkey Of the fourth division of the
government printing office, are among the
plans.
The out-of-work benefit, it is believed,
Will be the plan most favored by the dele
so far as the printers organization is con-
cerned. The cost Of maintaining such q
fund. It Is argued. will be comparatively
small amounting to only an increase in
dues paid into the international treasury
Of from 40 to 80 cents per month. AS
there are close to $4,000 members in the
international Typographical Union the
payments Of out-of-work benefits will Of
the trade in each town.
The Cigarmakers' International Union,
with 10000 members, in 1908 paid out in
out-of-work benefits the sum of s239l1, at
a cost of 81 cents per member per year.
the weekly benefit being So. while it is
proposed to make it SO In the printers Or
ganization: This benefit has been paid
for period Of seventeen years. and the
average cost per member per year for the
first ten years was $500. these ten years
being equally divided between periods of
unusual trade conditions and Industrial
stagnation. The average cost per member
per year for the seventeen years was 1921
The highest cost per member for out-of-
work benefits was So 43, In 1885, with q, 600
members, when a total Of SIZE, 1877 was dis
bursed, and the lowest 1t reached was S91a
cents per member in 1903, with $4,000
members. when $15.55S was paid to mem
bers out of work
first labor organization to hold memorial
services over Its departed members.
through law proposed by Mr.. Goodkey
in 1908. and observed the last Sunday in
his out-of-work plan for its living mem
bers and thus rank second to the cigar
makers union.
worldwide labor movement has been
inaugurated.' 1t is said. and arrangements
are being completed between the American
Federation OF Labor and national trade
unions Of England. Scotland, Germany,
Denmark. Austria Belgium. Norway. Meth
erlands and other foreign countries to in
terchange union cards between unions OF
kindred crafts and callings. In addition to
this world wide movement between the or
ganized wage-workers Of the world the
American Federation of Labor and the
American Society Of Equity (the farmers
unions Of the United States) have formed
an alliance. The organized wage workers
Of the world represent more than $4,000, 900
people. The 0fore advanced leaders pro-
pose an international convention of all craft
unions.
Prosperous conditions are reported in or
ganized labor circles generally. Interna-
tional officers of the several labor organiza-
lions have reported as follows:
Blacksmiths-Our members throughout
no MI king wonderful
as far as wages, hours and working condi-
tons concerned. New locals are being
formed. and we expect to have a member
ship of 10000 in a short time. New unions
have been formed in Havelock. Neb; New
ark N. j.; Laredo. Tex, and Chico. Cal.
Bridge and Structural Iron Workers
Trade conditions fair and steadily improv-
ing; some of our locals are obtaining in
creased wage and improved conditions; our
membership shows increase over June.
We expended s1.4o0 in death benefits re-
Gently.
Cement Workers Employment Ia steady
and we have chartered new locals in Oak
land, CAL; Livingston, Mont: Everett
Wash: Cedar Rapids, Iowa. and Atlanta,
Ga. Hours have been reduced without trou-
BILE in Boston.
Clgarmakers-state Of trade continues
fair. We have three new unions under way
in Porto Rico. Three locals have been or
ganized there since July 1.
Elevator Constructors-Trade conditions
continue satisfactory. We were successful
in strike for increased wages In Minneap-
oils after the men were out four days.
Glass Workers-Trade fair. A referendum
vote is being taken on an assessment of 10
cents a month to cover the expenses of an
other organizer to be put in the field.
Glove Workers-Trade in general good. A
union has been formed in St. Louis.
Our union in Dekalb ILL.,. has presented a
new wage schedule to glove firms in that
city and expects to secure the same.
Lathers-There has been a general in
Of goo fra1
ployment Is plentiful New unions have
been formed In Portland, Me-; Ellwood City,
Pa. Bellingham, Wash. and Lake Geneva
Wis. We paid out $3.50 in death benefits
during the month.
Lobster Fishermen-Trade conditions good
and improving. We are contemplating the
adoption of a union label.
Machine Printers and Color Mxers-Trade
conditions excellent and employment is
steadily improving. Working conditions are
slowly but surely improving. Trade at this
time Is very brisk; there is not a man idle
in our trade who wants to work
Paying Cutters-At Milford NJ H., our
men have secured an increase of 81 per
thousand with a straight union job and the
eight-hour day. At Chelmsford. Mass. our
union secured eight-hour day and increase
of 81 q thousand We have strike pending
at Marlboro, N. H, and expect settlement
shortly. New unions have been formed in
Maine and Canada. Our membership is