The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-29
CIVIL SERVICE MEN
ORGANIZE UNION
UNDER FEDERATION OF LABOR
OPPOSE EXTRA WORK, WANT
SHARE OF SALARY INCREASE.

washington. D. C, Dee. @S.-Em-
n.oyes OF the government depart
men-s have taken up rhe matter o.
Organizing union the better 10
protect their interests. the matter
having been formally discussed wirh
the of GERS Of the American FEEDER
aIon n Labor. Samue, Gompers. .
president OF the \. ?. o. l. said
70 reporter.
The government clerss ThO have
a11ea,ed 10 - federation for as
s-s-ance in organizing seem 10 be
much in earnes. in the project. We
vii. e CAD TO aid them. as We
are 70 aid any group OF men and
women who are wage earners in
p=rtecting an organization 70 pro
ter their interests"
Mr. Gompers was asked IL any
arrangements had yet been made
for calling together the government
emp,oyes TO axe the preliminary
{. cps in forming their organization
I cannot discuss plans for such a
meeting a. present" repla- Mr..
Gompers.
I, is well understood among the
government clerks Jha. the first
steps toward the proposed orgaliza
ton are to be taken quietly and
with no show OF .ntagonism 20
wards the federal government or
the heads OF the departments and
bu.eaus.
Extra Half Hour Bugbear.
Mr. Gompe-s said that he was
CAD 10 see that the clerks so far
in nearly a. the departments had
escaped having an extra half hour
aG.ed 10 their daily working hours
withou. an increase Of pay.
The American Federation Of La
Dor VII! help in every possible way
20 prevent this increase in laborine
hours without an increase in pay"
said Mr. Gompers. But even this
scare may be over for the time
being It may recur.
The purpose Of organizing a un-
ion Of the government employees is
TO be ready 70 obtain justice for
the employees whenever it becomes
I necessary Once it is firmly organ
lied and affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. and with
the laborinc men of the country
standing with the government clerks
union, the organization will be
power for much good
The proposed union will be there
10 take up questions of salary and
adjustment with the government Of
ficials. There is a tendency at pres
ent to increase the salaries of the
high officials OF the government and
/ 10 economize at the expense Of the
government clerks AM all othe-
minor employees This is unjust.
These men and women are bein-
asked to work long hours and re-
ceive no more pay than before. Yet
they do the hard work Of the gov
erument
No Question Of Striking.
There is no question of strike
with the government employees. They
will not strike. but seek through
reason 10 obtain their just demands.
They will be requested to work
overtime by the government. and
the nature of the government ser
vice will demand that they work
overtime sometimes But there
should be some arrangement whe.e-
by The overtime work may be equal
lied and not fa,l upon one set of
employees al the time. As it is, there
are numbers of clerks who are con
stantly compelled to work overtime
while their fellows get of at reg
uar time"
The feeling among government en-
ployes is growing steadily in favor
OF organization. They feel that. while
for the moment their hours of work
have not been increased. there is
no guarantee that they Will not be
increased in the future. They wish
TO be forearmed against such
movement, which would mean more
work and no more pay.
Much Overtime Labor Required
In al the departments there is
talk OF the increased work demand .
Ing much overtime labor on the
part OF the clerks. \ clerk in the .
pos,office department today said that
in his room seven clerks had re- /
signed, AMI that no others had been .
put in their places The clerks who
remained were being compelled 70
do their own work and the work