The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-12-12

agreed upon by the Amalgamated as
sociation at the conference held in
Cleveland last week, 1t would mean
reduction in the wages of local fat
teners and cutters. from that paid last
year. of about $50 a week for each
man. on the average. The basis on
which the sliding scale is figured is on
the price of 80 per cent and IN per
cent. Off the list market price of glass
When the market price falls lower
than this-an6 it is lower right now
the wage scale drops two per cent
for every one per cent. of the price re-
duction. Now If the market price OF
glass Is. say for singles, 30 and 30
per cent. on the wages of the cutters
and natteners would be reduced from
the basis OF, 80 and 171s off about 25
per cent. or one-fourth. The basis
from which the sliding scale is tIgur-
ed IS nearly 80 per cent lower than
out scale of last year. so you can seet
that with the sliding scale our wages
would be reduced more than fifty per-
cent We will not stand for this. six
millions of boxes OF window glass areE
manufactured In this country every
year. 1t Is all cut and hattened by
hand and It must be done that way.
There is no reason why the cutters
and natteners should suffer because
of the competition between the factor
les owing to machines that do the
work OF blowing and gathering.
Would Benefit Nobody.
IT we should accept the sliding
scale. 1t would in the end benefit mo-
body but would harm every one con
nected with the glass trade, manufac- |
turers and employees alike. BY taking |
q lower scale the American window
Glass Company employees would also
be bound to it. Getting their labor
cheaper. they, could afford to reduce !
the price of glass still further and
thus force down prices and wages of
the independent factories still further. |
with the sliding scale in vogue,,E
there is no telling where our wages |
would fall to. The market price or !
glass is now 90 and 80 off for singles |
and 80 and 40 of for doubles. Tt is |
said that as a result OF competition |
caused principally BY the glass making
machines. that the price may even fall |
to 80 and so per cent. off. Suppose,
for illustration, that the market price |
should fail to that.
Where Would Our Wages Be?s
of the sliding scale is nearly so per
cent. lower that last years scale. COL
and so per cent. off the market price |
would reduce the wage-2 per cent. |
reduction for every l per cent. reduc-
ton in the market price you know
down to 72h per cent. In other
words the cutter or fiattener who got, |
say $40 week would then get $40 q
week. Can you blame us for strtk- |
ing?
I'VE realize that the independent
manufacturers are up against 1t. But
we do not propose to let them cut
and slash prices and make us suffer. |
We want to keep up wages and by |
keeping up wages also keep up the
market price of glass. Manufacturers |
underbid and cut prices among one
another like sixty We can't help
that. Why, it is done even among the
local factories.
Big Fall Ia Prices.
III any one had said a year or so |
ago that the market price of glass
would now be what it is, he would
have been laughed at. If we are
laughed at because we refer to the !
prediction that glass may go down to
even 90 and so per cent. off we refer |
you to the former laughs"
When l came to Clurksburs six
years ago." added one flattener, 1.-The
market price OF glass was S5 and 90
per cent. off straight. Think of the
reduction since them"
I'VE hope that clarlSsburgj people,
merchants and ALL will understand our
situation, and that they will not labor
under a misrepresentation in regard to
it,
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