The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1908-03-20
TEN PERCENT CUT
Positive Notice of Reduction of
Wages In Lowell Mills
OTHERS TO FOLLOW SUIT
indications That Operatives at Fall
River, Where Sliding Scale Exists,
Will Receive Less Wages--Changes
May Affect Ie5, 900 Workers

Boston, March 13.-A general reduc-
ton in the wages of the cotton mill OPP
eratives of the north will be made the
latter part of the month and following
weeks, according to mill men in this city
and in several leading textile centres.
Definite announcement that the pres
ent wage scale would be lowered has
been expected for some time, in view of
the fact that on Feb. IA it was strongly
intimated in mill circles here that cut
would have to be made.
Notices were posted in all the cotton
mills Of Lowell yesterday, on receipt of
the instructions from the head offices
here, informing the 10000 operatives
that wages will be reduced TO average
10 percent, beginning March 30. The
mills in Lowell are owned by the Apple
ton, Boot, Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Merrimac, Hamilton and Suffolk cor
porations. All manufacture cloth ex-
cept the Lawrence Manufacturing
company, which makes hosiery and I'M
derwear.
With the exception of the Stark mills
Of Manchester, n. H., which announced
Tuesday that reduction of about s per-
cent will be made in the wages of their
1900 employees, the Lowell mills are the
first in the cotton industry in New Eng.
land to give positive notice of cut
1t is understood that practically all
the cotton mills In nnrfbarn Naur ITnu
land will post notices during the next
few days announcing a reduction.
In southern New England there Is
some uncertainty as to the time CIT
will be made. In Fall River a sliding
scale agreement exists between the
Manufacturers association and the Tex
tile Council, and under its terms no
change can be made until May 25. The
agreement is based upon the average
margin between the cost of cotton in
the New York market and the selling
price Of standard 2S-inch 64x64 print
cloths, the agreement being renewed
at the end of six months.
The last agreement became effective
on Nov. %, 1907. Since that time the
margin has steadily fallen off, indicat-
ing that the $4,000 operatives in the
association mills in Fall River will re-
ceive less wages next month. Under
the present arrangement the average
between the prices Of cotton and stand
ard print cloths governs the wage rate
in the six months following the period
in which the averages are computed.
The Fall River system affects direct
ly the mills in that city, East Taunton
and other places, so that manufacturers
of goods other than print cloths now
usually make their changes in wage
schedules without regarding condi-
tons there.
Manufacturers give as reasons for the
change in wages the depression in the
cloth market. the high cost of cotton
and lower prices for goods. They also
say that the existing wage schedules
are the highest paid since the Civil war.
Many of the mills will continue to cur
tail production until business improves
The cotton mills in New England
number $40 out of 1000 in the United
States OF 100000 cotton operatives in
the country the New England mills en-
ploy at the present time about 165, 900.
a slight reduction from the number at
work last year. Fall River has 10000
operatives. Lowell 10000, New Bed
ford 10000, Manchester. n. H., 1900,
Rhode Island 10000 and Lewiston, Me-,
$500.