The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-06-16
CARPEN TERS
Who " ILL
NOT WORK

Editor Standard Innsmuch as a
committee from the Carpenters I'M
Ion has taken issue with us regarding
our article on the strike situation
which appeared In Yesterdays Exam
liner and Standard, we feel Justified
IN calling their attention to a few
facts which they undoubtedly lost
sight Of In their REPLY OF the Car
peDters" article Of last evening.
We would FIRST like to call their al.
tention to the fact that 1t was through
no fault OF ours that our signature did
not follow our article in yesterdays
Examiner headed. SHOULD Grade the
Carpenters as we sent in Il signeo
communication and our signature was
undoubtedly omitted as the result
Of an oversight by the editor
Now these committeeman claim that
carpenters do not work moro than
eight months Of the year on an aver
age II they do not. 1t is because
they take several weeks vacation on
their own responsibility. But We do
not believe that any such condition
prevails during normal periods. and,
TO substantiate our theory, VIC Will say
that prominent contractor has PROV
ed TO us that during all of last win
tor. which, by the way. was a most
unfavorablc winter for carpenters.
there being almost continual stormy
weather during the four months. he
kept his whole force at work and the
stubs in his check book show that the
smallest check Issued TO any carpcn'
ter for any month was $4,000. which
in the face OF possible Sl04.00 Is not
40 bad for the duh season. And 9th
ers of our general contractors. whom
we have talked TO. claim that their
mon work almost the entire winter
season with tho exception OF several
days of very stormy weather
Some OF the contractors have kept
men on their payroll when there was
scarcely enough work to keep them
busy. In order to havo them on hand
when new work came on. and practi
cally ell OF the contractors have Civ
en- local union men with families the
preference over what Ia known as the
''floater" journcymen. But these con-
siderations are all Lost sight OF In the
event OF a strike and some Of our lead"
Ing contractors now aver that. In re-
turn for such treatment. they feel JUS
tilted in reversing this policy and
hiring outside men.
AS to tho grading of mechanics.
which our friends on the committee
so strongly claim they have done,
thus placing In the jouneymen class
only those who are efficient to do the
work, we still reiterate that this is
not the case and TO prove our state
ment will say that time and again
we have been compelled to order
work taken out and done over again.
on our jobs. by men who wero jour
neymen carpenters and drawing the
pay OF firstclass mechanics. but who
could not miter q joint and do II cor
rectly.
Now, as we stated before. we have
no personal grievance against the un-
Ion as 4 whole. but we have no SWIM
pathy with the strikes as COVE 'ed
nowadays and we are determined to
have the public. especially the build.
ing public. know the true conditions
that govern the present difficulty for
VIC as architects. are directly inter
ested with them In anything pertain.
ing to the building industry.
We have demonstrated II to be a
fact that 60 per cent OF the Carpen.
ters' union is made uH of an undesir-
able element who really do not want
to work over eight months In the year.
but who wish 10 make enough during
the eight months To keep them the bal
ahce OF the four months. So II is quite
apparent that this eight months "hur-
rah' which our friends on the com.
mittec are trying 80 hard to establish
In their favor, is not the result OF
bad weather conditions OF scarcity
OF work. but rather an inclination 10
enjoy four months OF leisure.
II le also significant fact TO note
that the real aaitators OF strike are
men who do not care whether they
work or not and, being In the major
ity, OF course they have their own
way. even In the face OF strenuous OPP
position from the real mechanics who
would be satisfied to go on AZ before.
but who are. unfortunately. in the
minority. We are including list OF
individual wages, furnished us by C.
j, Humpbris, md which he paid his
carpenters for the fscal year Just end
ed, We arc withholding the individ-
ual mechanics names, which are on
nle In our office. but the figures will
speak for themselves.
s117475; slls1,75; 9S775: l1l2.25;
1850; 1890. 1022s0; 1885:
total. sS,9G7,30. Average. s1.120.9l.
The foreman's wages are not includ-
cd In the above.
(Sigued) SHREEVE C MADSEN.