The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-06-24
LABOR'S UPL|FT YEAR
Chicago Unionists Rejoice In
General Wage Increase.
THE DOWNFALL OF MADDEN.

mer Boss In Control of the Building
Trades-Railway Employees Receive
Substantial Advance.
Organized labor of Chicago celebrat-
ed May day as the end of year of
general wage advancement and pros
perity for a majority of organized
crafts.
The year has been remarkably free
from strikes of a serious nature in
Chicago, and the few small conflicts
that have occurred generally have end
ed in a victory for the workers.
The striking feature of the activi-
ties of organized labor during the year
is characterized by labor men as the
moral uplift" Of the labor movement.
By persistent effort on the part of
the decent element of the unions, aid
ed by contractors, Martin B. C'Skinny')
Madden, former car of the building
trades unions, was exposed, indicted
by the grand jury and convicted of
grating.
Two of Madden's henchmen were
convicted with him. They are M. J.
Boyle of the Electrical Workers I'M
ion and Fred A. Pouchot of the Sheet
Metal Workers union. Each was
convicted of conspiracy in connection
with calling and settling strikes and
was fined $780, Several additional in
dictments are pending against them.
AS result of the convictions "Skin-
ny" Madden's power over the unions
he formerly dominated has dwindled
to almost zero, and the Associated
Building Trades, his once powerful
central body, is dissolved. The dis
solution of the organization was
brought about by gradual OBJECTIONS
and Withdrawals from the Madden
fold.
In the place of the Madden organiza-
ton the Chicago Building Trades coun-
Gil of the American Federation of La
Dor has been formed, and its officers
and members have carried on an in
cessant fight against the former labor
car.
The principal strikes during the year
occurred in the building trades and
were traceable directly to the efforts
of skinny" Madden to defeat the
aims of the new council.
One of the most bitter struggles was
that of the elevator constructors
against the Otis Elevator company.
By an agreement with skinny" Mad
den and the officials of the Otis COM
pany machinists were put to work as
"strike breakers in the places of the
striking elevator constructors.
The new council took up the cause
of the elevator constructors and called
strikes on number of downtown sky
scrapers in an effort to force the con-
tractors and architects to bring about
a settlement. Nothing came of the
sympathetic strikes, however, and the
men returned to work after a few days
of idleness. The dispute still remains
unsettled.
Railroad employees in Chicago and
throughout the country have received
higher wages during the year. In
Chicago a federal board of arbitration
granted switchmen an increase of 3
cents an hour over the former rates
of pay. This will establish the rate
out the country.
A strike of national Importance that
continued throughout the year and is
still in force is that of 10000 seamen
on the great lakes. The strike of lake
seamen is directed against the Lake
Carriers association and the policy
adopted by the shipowners of main
tanning open shop" on the vessels of
the inland seas.
Following the granting of increased
wages to switchmen in the Chicago
district by the federal board of arbi-
tration acting under the Erdman law,
several railroad companies. notably
the Pennsylvania system. voluntarily
advanced the wages of its employees
about per cent over the former rates
of Day Railroad photographers on the
Illinois Central. the Baltimore and
Ohio and other railroads were given
raise and substantial reduction in
hours amounting 10 lIOIu q 10 ~ PEA
cent over what they formerly received,
and a number of railroads at present
are engaged in negotiations with their
employees over demands for higher
wages.
The most important wage settlement
made in Chicago during the year was
that of 10000 street car men employed
on the surface lines from Evanston to
Hammond. Ind. and from the lake to
the western suburbs The negotia-
tons continued four months and sew
eral times threatened to plunge the
city into a strike of gigantic proper
tons.
When the crisis came, however, May
or Russe took hand in the situation
and appointed Attorney Walter l..
Fisher as the city's representative in
the negotiations. Several plans of set
Element were worked out by Mr.. Fish
err, and he was given credit for draft
ing a scale finally adopted by the men.
Chicago Tribune.