Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-10-29
G8}N)


II uulOu VI udLleIS III Tie CulISu
States was established as early as 1909.
San Francisco (Cal) Laundry Work
ers' Union now has a membership of
1875.
Iron Molders' Union of North America
will celebrate its fftieth anniversary next
year.
The shoe clerks of Toronto, Can, have
recently organized union, and its men,
bership is steadily increasing.
The interlocking switch and signal men
Of the B. & NJ. road have organized new
union for the Boston terminal division.
A new union of retail clerks, including
various branches of business, has been
recently established in Melrose, MINI.
Steam Engineers Union has raised the
per capita tax from 10 cents to 20 cents
a month and established defense fund.
A new union of blacksmiths, affiliated
with the Interna 'onal Brotherhood of
Blacksmiths, has been organized at Dun
kirk, n. Y.
The threatened strike of Belfast, Ire
land, iron molders has been averted. The
men agreed to accept a reduction of one
shilling a week.
Steps to form a Boston (Mass.) branch
of the new A. F. of L. metal trades de-
partment were begun recently by Boston
machinists' lodge.
September was very busy period with
the organizers in the anthracite field of
Pennsylvania endeavoring to rehabilitate
the miners union.
International Brewery Workmen of
America has a membership of $3.50 in
373 local unions and $50 branches also
cash balance in the treasury of $780,
1926, an increase in the last two years.
In order to encourage thrift among its
employees, the Northeastern Railway Com
pany, England, some years ago estab-
lished a savings bank, at which deposits
as low as sixpence are received, 4 per
cent interest being paid on accounts up
to f2OO, and 212 per cent on sums in
excess of that amount.
In the 1872 unions, with about $4,000
members, reporting TO the New York
State Labor Bureau, the proportion of
idle members, which at the end of Janu-
airy was 500 per cent, and at the end of
February and March 37.5 per cent, de-
clined in April to 33.9 per cent, in May
to 322 per cent, and in June to 3O.2
per cent. These figures indicate plainly
steady though gradual improvement in
the state of employment during the sec
ond quarter of the year for union labor.
By a referendum vote the Poster Art
lists Association of America has decided
to affiliate with the American Federation
of Labor. The union has passed its tenth
anniversary, and there are locals in every
important labor center of the country.
The new liability bill of New Zealand
provides that every worker who is
party to a strike shall be liable to a f10
fine. and an additional fine of FL for ev-
ery week during which the strike con-
| tinues and he remains a party thereto
| The penalties for a lockout are 600 for
the initial offense, and ESQ week dur
ing its continuation.
Henry Abrahams. secretary of the Bos-
ton c L. T., recently predicted the five
hour workday in the shoemaking busi-
ness of New England within a very few
| years.
Metal polishers. buffers, platers and
| brass and silver workers unions. of Bos-
| ton, Mass, have already begun the plans
for the international convention, which
will be held there next August.
1t is the plan of the st. Louis (Mo.)
| labor unions to build a magnificent tenn
! pie in which all the labor organizations
will have headquarters and which will
contain a hall so large that conventions
may be held in st. Louis.
| Monthly dues of the st. Paul (Minn.)
BARRIERS Union have been increased to 81
month, and a weekly sick benefit of 50
will be paid in future. The latter is III
addition to So a week paid by the inter
national union, so that members on the
sick list will now receive SO week.