The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-04-15
CURRENT EVENTS IN
THE WORLD OF LABOR
Live Items of News Affecting the
Interests of the Workers and
the Cause Generally.

An Endorsement of the demands OF
union word workers employed in the
furniture factories in Grand Rapids,
Mich, has been given by the general
executive board of the United Broth
erhood of Carpenters and Joiners, now
In session in Indianapolis. Between
5000 and 1000 members of the union
are employed in the Grand Rapids
factories, and nearly all the large fac
tories of that city are uniOnized. The
employees have demanded reduction
in hours from so week to- 81, and
wage increase of 10 per cent. In
view of the action of the executive
board in deciding to support the de-
mands, a refusal on the part of fac
tory owners to meet the demands
will result in a strike, but the opinion
is expressed at the carpenters head
quarters that there will be no strike.
but that the demands will be SUBJ
stantially compiled with.
The controversy between the rival
organizations claiming to be officials
of district Nos (Pittsburg), United
Mine Workers of America, has been
thrown into court by the officers
elected at a recent insurgent conven-
ton of the district, headed by Ro-
bert Gibbons, as president, which de-
posed Francis Feehan as president.
Feeham and his followers disre-
garded the action of the insurgents
and held a second convention last
week.
In petition to court the insurgents
claim they are the legal officers and
ask for an order giving them possess
sion of all books and funds belong
ing to the organization.
At the close OF an all day confer
ence at Pittsburg the grand chiefs OF
brotherhoods on the Pennsylvania
lines west, and affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor, an
nounced that no conclusion had been
reached on the differences under con-
sideration.
1t is charged that the railroad has
discharged men in it's shops because
of activity in the unions
Labor leaders from every section of
the country were at the conference,
among them being w. S. Stone of
Cleveland, of the Locomotive Engin-
GERS; w. G.. Lee of Cleveland, repres-
enting the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen; E. P. Curtis, Cleveland, of
the Order of Railway Conductors.
indianapolis city officials refused to
let a contract to J. M. Millander, a
non-union contractor, for painting the
exterior woodwork of the city market
house and the police headquarters al
though his bids were the lowest He
| employed non-union men and because
the bids were so low the board of
! public safety feared the work would
be done poorly. <
The journeymen printers of Bay
City. Mich, are planning a. monster
| union rally to be held on May 9 in
that city. James NJ. Lynch, president
of the International Typographical
| union will be principal speaker at
the rally. He will also be given a
banquet in the afternoon.
There is now pending in the Illinois
! legislature a bill that provides COM
pensation for workers killed or in
jured in the course of their employ
ment.
| Under the provisions of the bill the
dependents of the employee killed In
an industrial accident or any lineal
heirs to whose support he has con-
tributed within five years of the time
of his death shall be entitled to a
| RI
wages, but in no case less than $500
or more than $500. If the injury
results in complete disability the en-
ploye shall receive half wages for a
period Of eight years and after that
a compensation for life equal to g
per cent Of the death benefit, but
in no case less than $40 a month
| payable monthly.
! The Business Mems league of St.
Louis has gone on record, through
its legislative committee, as opposed
to the further employment Of con-
vict labor in, Missouri. Members OF
| the league who are manufacturers
| declared this class of labor comes in
competition with free labor, especially
| women who have no other means OF
! livelihood.
! The union fathers of Middletown
Ohio, are gong to make a demand
for an increased wage scale on June 1
1911. and request all floaters to pass
them up by to that time as they may
have some trouble in forcing IT,. de.
mand. They want $3.50 per M. fol-
all soft lath, $2.75 per M. for yellow
pine and hard lath, 1925 for 32-inch
lath, rs cents per M. more on all
laths not RECITATION length; day-work
to be As cents per hour.
1.-THE coal teamseters of New York
were recently successful in negotiat-
in new scale with the coal dealers
whereby the men are benefited by an
increase in wages of 81 per week.
All train dispatchers on the Illinois