The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-20
Demand an Increase in Pay
And Want a Ten-Hour Al
IoWance for a Nine-Hour
Day.
THIRTEEN MEN HAVE
QUIT THEIR PLACES.
Both Sides Are Determined
And Apparently There Is
No Settlement in Prospect
In the Near Future.

Thirteen plumbers of Richmond. all
of whom have been connected with
three of the largest plumbing houses
in the city. namely Charles Johanning.
H. II. Meerhoff and the Craighead
Plumbing company. are out on
strike on account of wage troubles.
ami state that they will not go back
until their demands have been met BY
the master plumbers affected In the
meantime the few men remaining at
the different establishments viii be
rushed to keep up with the work now
contracted for.
The whole trouble originated, il
seems, with an attempt on the part
of the plumbers of the city to organize
"A union Through this union the
plumbers are asking a substantial. in
crease in wages, and in order not 10
recognize the union and keep their
shops open, the master plumbers have
refused to grant the increase.
Two Attempts for Increase.
The union of plumbers has made
two attempts TO secure an increase
It was decided sometime ago among
them. that wages from $1.75 to $500
per day, on straight ten-hour sched-
ule was not enough, as they had to
purchase their own tools, kits OF
which costs all the way from SIS to
$125, and they felt that they were not
drawing enough money for their work
and capital invested. 1t was decid-
ed then 70 form union among the
Richmond plumbers, and ask for an
increase in wages. After this was
done petitions were printed and sent
to all the master plumbers of the city.
WiliiaN Waking and Noah Johnson
recognized the union, and signed the
contracts calling for nine-hour work
day with ten hour pay. As the union
is new it was decided by the men not
simply ask for a nine-hour day, with
an extra hour pay. letting the present
scale stand as il is at the present
time. The present average for plumb
ers in Richmond is % cents an hour
while the local employees claim that
plumbers in other cities average con-
siderabiy more than this, maintaining
that, Richmond plumbers are the low
est paid in this section OF the country.
Settlement Not in Sight
At present it looks as though there
would be no immediate settlement of
the trouble, as both the employers and
employees state that they will maintain
a stiff upper lip" The employees state
that they will not go back till the
wage increase contracts are signed
while the employers maintain that un-
der no circumstances will they sign
the contracts thereby recognizing the
union, all desiring to keep their shops
open. One master plumber has stated
that he will grant the men the nine-
hour day schedule, but under no cir
cumstances will he sign the contract.
The two other plumbing houses refuse
to recognize the contracts or demands
at the present time in any shape or
form.
Exhibit Determination.
One of the strikers said that mo
thirteen men now out would go to
work on the streets before they would
resume work with unsigned contracts.
while one of the master plumbers stat
ed that he was rather old but at the
same time he would don overalls and
90 to work himself on the different
Jobs, unless the men did not come
back of their own accord.
Neither of the affected houses is
willing TO state just what will be done
n regard to importing of men. The
strikers say that If the plumbers are
willing TO come here and work for the
money they have been getting they
are welcome TO the jobs.
AS local plumbing establishments
rave several very large contracts on
II present the outcome of the trouble
will be watched with interest