Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-01-13
Written for the Majority
GEORGE WILLIAMS

leave his place and go somewhere
else where the piece work method is
not employed. Now, for the bonus
system; take for instance the Santa
SIC road where they pay certain
lourly rate, say SO cents am hour, a
man who can't average certain
amount of work regulated by the
Jompany's officials, is let go; also he
must work above his 80 cents an
TOUR, and make at least double the
amount Of work, of which surplus he
gets &c! per cent. That shows that
mis- is worse than piece work. Nat
lrally, the men are coming. and going,
he material is spoiled or destroyed
~ the great change Of new employees,
: new employment Office must be
Kept. always open to hire new men,
thousands of newdmen are sent down
the line to no avail. ~
low 1t Is Worked. -
When a company that employs
inion labor tries to enforce the piece
york cor bonus system due to their
ontract with man, they sometimes
give them am advance notice of thirty
lays that all future relations between
he company and union will be abol-
shed, and that the open shop or piece
work system will be employed; also
he men may work "as individuals. :"
Then the shop committees get busy,
hey hold conferences with the men,
the union headquarters is notified, of
the fact, the union officials try to
reach certain agreement with the
company officials, and usually the
company refuses to listen or have
anything to do with them. The union
officials are compelled to put .ques-
ton of strike throughia referendum
Of their members, and before the
thirty days are up the union men are
getting ready for the final clash, and
he first news we hear is of a large
Walk-out" ON; the affected system.
The company, on their side have ar
ranged months previous with the
special detectve agencies and sup
plies companies to furnish them with
men and necessities for hurting the
strike breakers. Now, it means the
spending of several millions of dol
ars, a stopping of the usual output
of WoER, destroying material and
property of said company; also it
means practically that the special
agencies are running the company's
business.
Who are the Strike Breakers?
In Chicago there are several places
or "hang-outs'' known to the strike
breakers, among them being the mills
hotels, the vestibule apartment houses
which places are merely for lodgings
The place of Alderman Michael Nc
Kenna, called the ''Workingmen's Ex
change Saloon" a low dive situated
on Clark street, place with so or 60
tables with long bar-this is the
rendezvous of all the strike breakers
west of Chicago; it is place where
west of Chicago; it is a place where
the strike breakers are recruited to
do the dirty work of the emploer.
With the first news of the strike re-
-ceived, the place is emptied and
awaits their return with more money
derived from the breaking of that
strike.
We will have to analyze the work.
ings of the so-called employment
agencies and special detective officers.
"A strike is a heaven-send for those
sharps. In the past the employment
agencies used to deal only in serv-
anst, cooks, hotel help, laborers and
general mental work, but with the.
advancement of all the industries and
commercial houses on broader lines.
embracing all the trades SO with the
employment agency. 1t has changed
its method in dealing with men, also
they have. changed their names tc
some better sounding, such as brain
brokers', industrial labor exchange
brokers', industrial labor ex-
change. .f.>
For example, Order & Stewart
Bureau, Fourth avenue, Pittsburg,
Years ago they used to- deal with
mental 9help only, but now they are
furnishing to the employers. from
superintendents draughtsmen, EN-
gineers, travelling statesmen down to
the most common laborer. i
SHINING the Job Seeker. NJ
For instance, John Johnson adyer-
tises through the daily press that
no fee is charged in advance, yet
when they give you the position that
you are looking for you sign an
agreement to pay them a certain
amount of your first weeks wages.
Sometimes. when jobs are scarce you
must pay them a full week of your
wages. The firm that employs you
will deduct your pay by keeping a
part themselves and giving certain
to the laborer shark. OF
course, the job is never a steady
1