The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-03-06


For several weeks the scale COM
mittee of the union has been meeting
with committee composed of eight |
of the largest employing printers in |
the city, and these meetings have |
been marked by harmony and good |
will. The result is complete under
standing that will preserve harmony
for the next five years. More than
that, it brings Lincoln up to the class
where she properly belongs in the |
matter of printing wages and con-
ditions.
Briefly the new contract calls for
the following:
scale Of $1ii week for the job
men, eight hours day. Time and
one-third for overtime for the next
two years from date of contract, and
time and one-half for overtime after
the end of the two years for the next
three years.
An advance Of 25 cents day in
the daily newspaper scale for the
next two years from date of contract,
and 25 cents day more for the next
three years.
But an increase in the wage scale is
by no means the most pleasing fea-
| ture of the new contract, which con-
tract, by the way, runs for period
OF five years from February 27,
1903. The International Typograph-
ical Union and the Newspaper Pub
llshers' Association have an arbitra-
tion agreement whereby strikes are
avoided and through which every
difficulty that has arisen during the
last five years has been amicably
adjusted without the loss of an hours
time or dollar of wages. Unfor-
I tunately the employing job printers
have no such association as the pub
fishers, therefore the International
Typographical Union has no arbitra-
ton agreement covering the job men.
But in the new contract that has been
signed by the employing printers of
Lincoln and the Lincoln Typograph-
zeal Union, start has been made
towards remedying this situation.
For at least five years to come IN
Lincoln any disagreement between
the employing job printers and their
employees will be arbitrated-not by
outsiders, but by the parties inter-
iested. 1t is belief current among
the employing printers of Lincoln
that the Lincoln agreement Will
sooner or later be as widely known
as the present agreement with the
Newspaper Publishers Association.
In addition to the facts set out
above the new contract clears up a
number of points that heretofore have
been in state of uncertainty One
of these is the matter of apprentices.
Under the new agreement the EN-.
pioyers will cooperate with the union
in securing as apprentices boys who
show some signs of adaptability to
the trade, and when indentured these
boys are to be trained up to become
: employers will help, because it means
better workmen in the future
The interests Of the fair employing
; printers of the city are safeguardel
d In several ways. During every ses
! sion of the two committees the besl
of feeling prevailed, and while there
a was, naturally, many differences OF
: opinion, not once was there the least
> sign of trouble. AS matter of fact
! the good feeling was more than once
), a matter of comment
n Several humorous things happened
+ during the conferences. Occasionally
the employing job printers would re
tire for little conference over some
= disputed point, and the newspaper em
!. ployers would put in the time tellins
= good stories having to do with thel1
Ii experiences. When the newspaper
u employers would retire to confer, tht
l. employing job printers would make
k things lively with tales of their ex
- periences. All this served to keel
everybody in good humor all tn
h time, and when men retain their goo
). humor it is never difficult to agree,
:, The printing concerns that hay
signed the new contract to date ar
as follows:
:, State Journal Company.
II Star Publishing Company.
ID Press Publishing Company.
at North & Company.
WoodruffCollins Company.