The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-05-16
UNIONS ARE HEARD FROM.

The following communication has
been received at this office:
The same Iassitude, inaction and
partial stagnation which rests upon the |
whole industrial system of the country |
has up 10 last Monday marked the con- |
duct Of the plumbers strike in his dis
trict. The plumbers delegates appoint !
ed to acquaint the various trades
through the medium of the trades and
labor councils failed to perform their
duty and a large part of the organized |
men were until quite recently unin-
formed as to the real merits of the
fight and the various trade teellnican-
ties involved in the book of rules as
originally submitted.
| when, however it became established
that the plumbers had receded from all
unreasonable demands made original
when it became generally known that
at the beginning OF the week the diff
ferences between the masters and the
/ journeymen conferred about the wage
question only, keen interest was man
ifected In the Associated Building
Trades council and the Lake County
Trades and Labor council, who APP
pointed committees to render such as
settlement A joint committee OF the
two councils has been formed.
ITO one unacquainted with the de-
tails of plumbing the book of rules has
appeared preposterous, in the fact that
it contained a seeming attempt to pre-
vent the use of many inventions which
were both economic and efficient. The
joint committee of the two central
bodies has found as many instances
heretofore in many parts of the coun-
try notably in New Orleans, La, that
the plumber has been held liable for
epidemics resulting from poor plumb
ing and has been put to no small ex-
pense in making this work good. Be
cause the people Of Indiana or the
popular of Hammond are asleep so far
as their health interests are concerned
and are without suitable ordinances
and statutes concerning the public
health as 1t is identified with good
plumbing has not deferred the plumber
from at least making an attempt to
prevent the efficiency and sanitation of
his work from being sacrificed to the
profit of the so-called master plumber.
If the master plumbers object to
putting in a right quality and standard
of work it is because of their profit not
TO do so. If they desire reduction
in the scale this desire has not been
fostered in so far as we have been able
to find with the review of reducing the
: cost of plumbing to the public.
The public has been paying a price
4; for the services of plumbers which can
not in the least be legitimately effected
! by the establishment of the IS cents
$ an hour minimum rate for the jour
neyman plumber. A committee APP
, pointed by the Building Trades Council
: was informed by the Master Plumbers
: individually that they did not object
: to the $500 per day but would MOI
sign the Book of Rules. A smajority
: of the master plumbers say they woulC
n sign the agreement and pay the $500
d but the Master Plumbers association
would not allow them to buy any NOR,
?, supplies If they did sign, therefore
: they will be compelled to go out o
); business. The demand that the min
: imum rate of pay shall be for one
r half day has been withdrawn. 1t is
fact generally conceded that the mini
: mum charge collected by the maste
a plumbers for solder used on a job i
v usually far in excess of the amour
r actually consumed. The joint com
r mittee has not met with or discovere,
any proposition to relieve the public o
y this unjust burden. neither have W
: we found how the journeymen plumb
: er can purchase suitable supplies a
right prices. The prices quoted t
. him by the wholesals houses on good
= specified on architects plans and speci
= fications are usually prohibited to hi
= doing work ON his own hook and pri
; vately leave the monopoly of the worI
in tha nf ha nh NH
ers.
= The Union plumbers now stan
- ready to complete any work not fin
" ished by non-union men removed befor
the completion of the job and are like
N wise ready to begin any new wor
y on jobs which have not been STRUCK
Their demands are not unreasonable
and are now in shope which entitle
them to consideration. The associate
trade unionists of this vicinity pre-
ne pose to stand by anything that is fai
and if the plumbers are let down an
further they shall be let down re
N spectfully and not without considera
tie ton.
Grown Point pays $500 for eigf
v hours. When court houses unde
< construction, Crown Point is alway
" Sleepy Hollow and away behind II
times When advantages for workin
Il men are under consideration, howeve
g the progress of Crown Point is n,
I'd heard OF.
Gary plumbers get $500 per day.
nt Press Committee of Joint Committt
g Council and Associated Buildir
,s Trades Council.
A H. E. GRANGER.
- HENPv TOUERTDGE