The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-01
LABOR PAPERS
UPHOLD STRIKE
BOTH LABOR AND DAILY PAPERS
UPHOLD THE ACTION OF THE
PRINTERS IN RECENT STRIKE
AMONG THE HEARST PAPERS
OF CHICAGO.

| A number Of daily and labor news
papers all over the country have up
held the union labor men in their re-
cent stand when the printers of a
number OF Chicago papers went on
strike. The Indianapolis Union says:
General surprise and mystification
was caused during the last week when
1t was learned that a strike of the
printers employed on Hearst's Chicago
papers, The American and Examiner,
was in progress, and this was added
to later when the international officers
disclaimed the strike and ordered the
men back to work. The union is now
in position to supply the facts nee
essary for complete understanding
OF the condition alluded to. For more
than year the newspaper scale of
Typographical union No. Is has been
in process Of arbitration and has con-
stituted one of the most difficult prob
lens ever coming before the national
board of arbitration. The Hearst pa
pers were operating under one scale,
and the other six daily papers. known
as the association papers, were op-
Grating under an entirely different
scale. The decision Of the arbitration
board advanced the wages Of the men
employed on the association papers
but did not disturb the machine scale,
which is on both a fat and bonus
system. Under contract previously
agreed to between the Chicago local
or the American Newspaper Publish
ers' association and Typographical
Union No. Is, the decision of the ar
duration board became effective in
all the offices. Including the Hearst
papers. 1t made a somewhat radical
change in the system of payment in
the Hearst composing rooms. and nat
uraiIy caused some dissatisfaction. In
the other Offices 1t was well received
as 1t was of great benefit to a large
number Of members of the union.
After the Hearst papers had made
the arbitration decision effective Presi-
dent O'Brien OF No. 16 notified the
managers that the composing room
would have to be conducted as two en-
tirely separate and distinct institutions
and that type for one paper could not
be set by the force of the othar na :
per. This was agreed to temporarily
by the management of the papers
pending arbitration of the point in
dispute. Then President O'Brien noti-
fed the foreman that type set on ma
chimes would have to be measured on
a 1914 -em basis, notwithstanding that
the width of the column was actually
less than IL ems, or to be exact, IL
ems ana 10 points. To this the man
agement demurred, but O'Brien pressed
the point. Finally the management
oHered to pay on the 13b lem basis,
but not to pay the excess directly to
the men. IT agreed to deposit this
excess in the hands of the president
or the union, O'Brien, pending arbi-
trat1on Of the measurement that should
obtain. This O'Brien refused. and
promptly called the men out. Presi-
dent Lynch. Of the international Typo
graphical union, who was in washing
ton, d. c., on the magazine postage
matter, as soon as he learned Of the
strike, wired President O'Brien direct
ing that the strike be called off and the
men return to work at once
In accordance with the provision of
the arbitration agreement reading;
In event of either party to the dis
pute refusing to comply with the de-
cision of the national board of arbitra
ton, all aid and support to the firm
or employer, or local union, refusing
acceptance and compliance shall be
withdrawn by both parties to this
agreement. The acts of such recall
citrant employer or union shall be
publicly disavowed and the aggrieyed
party to this agreement shall be fur
nished by the other with an oficial
document to that end" President
Lynch also wired The Chicago Exami-
ner and Chicago American to the effect
that the strike was unsanctioned. IL
legal and without warrant. The strike
occurred on the afternoon of Tues
day, Feb. %. and on Wednesday aft
ernoon at o'clock No. lie held q spe
cial meeting and decided to comply
with the instructions of the interna
tional officers. The men then returned
to work, and peace has reigned since
that time. The points in dispute will
be submitted to arbitration lin ac-
cordance with the requirement of the
contracts.
The affair Is most unfortunate
one, and will react on the cause of
union labor. 1t Is. rare indeed that a
typographical union. either directly or
indirectly, sanctions the breaking of a
contract. The organization stands in
ternationally for the fullest and souar
est observation of contract obligations.