Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-16

also signed by the president of the Pa
permakers union and had in addition
the signatures Of it's vice president and
secretary and the delegates attending
the convention.
September go 190S.-The company is
sued an official statement to the effect
posed to organized labor. it declined to
have further dealings with an organi-
zatioK which repudiated it's agreements.
The company then proceeded to hire
papermakers and machines were started
at the rate Of one machine daily. The
starting of paper machines continued
and upon November 9th. 1908, the pa
permakers called the strike off, some of
their locals having already done so.
II was necessary for the old employees
to sign applications individually for re-
employment and the company did not
take nacl. those strikers as an organiza-
ton.
: Wien the strike ended, the company
pursued liberal policy toward its en-
ployes, keeping in force the system of
three shifts and the nine-hOur day.
Other concerns took advantage of the
situation to force their employees back
10 two shifts and a ten-nour day.
1t soon became evident that the CON-
pany had re-employed men not worthy
to continue in its service. Malicious
acts were practiced for the purpose of
driving out the new men who came dur
ing the strike, The company's property
was Damaged Machines were run be-
low their usual standard of efficiency.
ImnprfpcfiOpS in Of ma
shipped from the plants which could not
have been the result of accident
December {, l9eS.-Mr. ]. P Gray.
president of the Boston Manufacturers
Mutual Fire Insurance company, mott
fed the president of the International
Paper company that very unsatisfactory
conditions existed at all plants and that
this state of affairs required immediate
attention.
Soon after this, the company put on
the road special inspectors who were re-
Quired to report conditions and make re-
concentrations. The company also en-
ploye6 special agents for the purpose of
locating and eliminating the conditions
by which it was suffering loss. a knowl-
edge of which conditions could not be
arrived at through the usual channels.
When unsatisfactory conditions were
located, steps were taken to correct
them. When it was ascertained that GER
tain employees were individually work
irg against the company's best interests
and breaking it's rules. they We're dis
missed from its service.
A number Of these discharged en-
plOyes pleaded for reins tatement they
acknowledged working against the in.
terests of the company and agreed that
if re-employed. they would discontinue
spreading dissatisfaction through the
plants and breaking the company's
rules. Unfortunately. the company be-
lievcd these men to be sincere and re-
mstated them. AS a precautiOn against
future misunderstanding. it was re-
quired of these men that they sign an
agreement similar to that signed by the
company's foremen.
February IA, 1909.-In order to en-
courage its good men, the company
adopted a bonus system for machine
tenders and back tenders, whereby they
were able to increase their wages by
more than five per cent BY means of
this system, the skilled papermakers
were able to earn more than they were
EARNING previous to the strike.
August 49, 1904 conference oc
Cured in New York between the officers
of the company and nine officers ant
delegates representing the international
brotherhood of Stationary Firemen. The
committee requested that five per cent
reduction in wages which occurred Aug
uSt LIST, 1908, be restored. The company
commended that the wages would be re.
a5i hnc
d,tons existing August 1st, 1909, and
lot increased The company agreed to
continue existing wages up to the time
of ahother conference which was ar
ranged for January. 1910.
The agreement between the company
and the Puipmakers' union provided for
an adjustment of wages August 1st.
1909. For some reason, this matter was
not taken up by the Pulpmakcrs' union.
We assume it was because, about this
time. the Pulpmak ers' union signed a
working agreement with the Papermak-
ers union and concluded to force the
question of wages by tactics similar to
those which had been employed by the
Papermakers' organization
A strike at the company's mills had
been widely discussed among certain or
the cOmpany's employees ever since the
defeat Of the papermakers in 1908. The
date for calling this strike was con-
tinualy advanced into the future be-
cause the union was not prepared for
the struggle.
BY written notice. dated September
25th, 1909, the company terminated the
Pulpmakers' contract, thereby giving to
the Pulpmakers' union three months
notice as per agreement. Its contract
therefore expired December 25th, 1909.
January %, 1904 delegation of
firemen from the various International
Paper company mills was. presented at
No. 20 Broad street, New York. by their
international president and the question
of increasing wages was discussed. 1t
was eXplained that on account of low
water. he company's earnings during
the proceeding six months had been
small and that its business conditions
did not Justify an increase of operating
EXPENSES The profit statement OF the
comDany was shown-io the president of
the Fjremen's union as proof of this. 1t
was also pointed out that during the
past year. the six per cent accumula-
tive preferred stock of the company had
been paying two per cent. and that no
dividends were paid upon the common
stock. The delegates To- the confer
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