Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-12
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
 OF LABOR

1 In accordance with action taken at | the last meeting of Columbia Typo. graphical union. at Washington, D. 1 C., aplicatiOn will be made for mem 1 bership in the Washington board of trade. Columbia union is prosper Ous association. with membership of upwards of 2,0O0 typos.
 In California, Colorado, Conrocu- cut, Indiana, Idaho. Kansas, Massa- ichusetts, Minnesota, Missouri. New Jersey, New York. Ohio. Pnnnsyl- ,vania. Porto Rico and Wisconsin it { is unlawful for an employer to exact ] an agreement, either written or yer 1 bal, from an employe not to join any i labor organization.
 A bill making it a misdemeanor punishable by fine of from $1OO to $500 or by Imprisonment for from three months to one year, either to use a union label without authority or to counterfeit the label, or to have ! in possession any merchandise marked with counterfeit label, is now a law in the state of New York.
 Rather than be forced out of work i through the closing of the mills, with the attendant distress, steel workers in the Ohio districts have agreed to accept a wage reduction, threby nak- ing it possible for the plants to keep running and work to keep up. The cut provides a general reduction of NO per cent in all or nearly all branches of the trade.
 Failing to agree after an all night session with representative of Op- orators, 2.500 coal miners of the CrOoksfeld. O., district have struck. Meetings had been held for the last eight weeks in an effort to settle a controversy over the removal of bone coal. The strike closes 'tWen- ty-eight mines and means loss of S2S,OO0 monthly in wages.
 An agreement was reached in the conference held in Pittsburg, Pa. be tween the Window Glass Cutters and Flatteners' association and the Window Glass Workers union whereby both will work in harmony. The cutters and tlatteners have EabOut 2,000 members in their union while the National union has some thing over 5000 members.
 The Midland. England, railway cOnciliation board has effected a com plete settlement of the matters in dispute as to hours of duty and wages. The men affected are goods guards, shutters and goods yard and sidings foremen. The men withdrew certain claims and the company cer- tain proposals. The agreement is binding to December 31, 1910.
 It was decided by the recent A. F. of L. convention to send organizers into Battle Creek, Mich, the home and stronghold of c. w. Post, labor's arch enemy. These organizers will be instructed to make d strenuous fight among the breakfast food work CTS, and the other wage earners en- plOyed not only by MT Post but by all other employers in the Michigan town.
 It has been announced that the National EreCtors' association has declared the reports that the House. smiths and Bridgemen's union may again be reorganized by the associa- tion to be without foundation. Ac- cording to this announcement the union will not be reinstated in the general arbitration plan and the as- sociation will insist on the open shop policy,
 In accordance with the agreement entered into between the California Metal Trades association and the Iron Trades council of San Francis. co, in June of last year, the work day in the various iron industries has been shortened One-quarter Of an hour Semi-annual reductions henceforth of one-quarter of an hour are to be made to eventually reach the eight hour day.
 The parliamentary committee of the British Trades Union congress have selected seven representatives to visit Germany to inquire into the sys- tenn of compulsory insurance for sick ness and invalidity, and also the question of unemployment. and the means used to deal with the latter. Five of the deputation are labor mem