The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-04-06
GOOD NEWS Of LABOR
FROM THE FAR WEST
Spokane Street Car Employees
Receive Material In
crease In Wages.
Plumbers in Pacific Coast
Town to Have $6 Scale
Unions Make Way.


vances of from one to three cents an
hour have just been made in the
wages of all street car men in the
employ of the Washington Water
Power company, thus placing Spo-
kane in the first place. in the North
west so far as the scale is concern
ed. The order will effect $50 men
in the employ of the company.
Plumbers Big Jump.
Spokane Plumbers Union has de-
cided to raise the scale of wages
from $3.50 to Sc a day of eight
hours. The advance is to come in
to effect early in May. While the
master plumbers have not been
notified a cursory canvass brought
out the statement the men will have
no trouble in obtaining the increase,
for the reason there is shortage
of competent plumbers and orders
for more than five months work
are already on the books. Spokane
is experiencing the greatest build
ing period in its history, and hund-
reds of skilled craftsmen are re-
Quired to carry out the work.
Electrical Workers Satisfied.
Frank Didisch, vice president and
district organizer of the North west
Council of the Electrical Workers
union, had this to say regarding the
local situation:
1--WE are we'll satisfied and great
progress is reported by unions along
the coast. The growth since the
first of the year has been phenom-
inal. In the northwest we have
gained 500 new members and nine
new charters have been issued on
the coast Local and national
treasures are In good condition."
Hodcarriers Progressive.
Hodcarriers and building labor
ers' unions in Spokane will put in
to effect early in April a new wage
scale, providing for an advance of
so cents day, or 81 for eight
hours work. Men wheeling Of sand
for buildings will receive $3.50 in
stead of SO, while mortar mixers
will receive 81 instead of $3.50, and
men working with plaserers will re-
ceive $3.50. No trouble Is expect
ed, as number of contractors are
said to be already paying the ad-
vanced scale, while the others are
expected to fall in line.
New State President.
F. w. Cotterill of Seattle, has
been declared president of the
Washington State Federation of La
Dor as the result of the referendum
vote which has been taken since the
convention at Belilngham last Jan
uary. He received 3,619 votes.
Cotterill has been closely identi-
fled with the labor movement al
most since it's incipfency in Washing
ton. The other officers are: J. E.
Campbell, of Everett, first vice jres-
ident: Thomas Ivey of Spokane, Sec
ond vice president; T. V. Copeland
of Tacoma, third vice president; w.
G. Lloyd, Aberdeen, fourth vice
president: M. E. Cutting, Walla
Walla, fifth vice president; P. w.
Bowler of Tacoma, secretary
treasurer.
Advance Per Capita Tax.
A movement has been started in
Spokane to have every labor union
in the state which is affiliated with
the Washington State Federation of
Labor pay six months advance per
capita tax. The expense of the leg
islative work at Olympia and print
ing the proceedings of the last state
convention came together and
heavy drain on the treasury follow
ed.
Single Weavers May Strike.
Secretary Campbell of the Interna-
tional Single Weavers' union an
nounces that If the manufacturers
do not raise the wage of weavers the
employers will have strikes to con-
tend with throughout the year. He
adds that while in his belief no
strike would be ordered by the In
ternational union, employees might
go out individually. An advance of
rs per cent. in wages is desired by
the men.