El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-01
POLICEMEN AND
FIREMEN EXEMPT
Not Covered by the Eight
hour Law Says a Labor
Official.


Policemen and firemen, clerks and
elective or appointive officials Of
the city and county are not in.
cIuded in those men covered BY
the eight-hour law of the state, ae-
of the FL Paso Central Labor union, and
former. organizer for The American Fed
Grafton of Labor. Mr.. Walker says this
matter has been tested in other states
/ where the same law is IN effect and
! where he was engaged at the time as
! organizer for the federation and was
connected himself with the test cases.
Mr.. Walker says that all labor per
| formed on school houses, in building or
/ repairing; similar work on city or county
/ buildings of other character, street paw
/ ing, laboreTs, sidewalk and curbing labor
1 ers, waterworks laborers, sewer labor
eIs, street cleaning labOrers and labor
ers on any construction work done by
OF in behalf of a state, county or city,
come under the eight-hour clause and
no others. He says he has carefully
read the Texas law and that it is no
different from the others with which
he has had to do and which he has seen
interpreted and that these are the only
people covered in its provisions. Police
men. firemen, clerks and officials APP
pointed by the council or the county are
not under its provisions.
Mr.. Walkers Interview.
Seen this morning by a representative
Of The Herald, Mr.. Walker said:
1T is my opinion that the Texas
S-hour law affects all work done for
the county or city, such as street paving
curbing, sidewalk construction, ditch
ing. construction of city or county
school houses or other buildings. the
common laborers employed by the city
or county in road construction, whether
as day laborers of by contractors, the
laborers in the sewerage, garbage,
street cleaning and waterworks depart
ments of the city, the citys blacksmith
shop, etc.
I have had much to do with drafting
passing and enforcing similar laws in
ether states while on the road for the
American Federation OF Labor and the
supreme courts of different states have
always held similar to my construction
here when they were required to review
such cases, and our law is drafted upon
practically the same lines.
There is much complaint to our COM
mittee about the continued violation
of this law in FL Paso. We shall wait
but a short time longer upon the county
officers, whose duty it is to enforce
this law, and inasmuch as the city of
FL PasO has been continually violating
this law since last November many
laboring people feel really aroused over
the matter. This law went into effect
on the 18th Of last November The law
became effective at the time the state
supreme court decided the case last
September.
There is one or two things that I
wish you would call the attention of
the general public to"
Asked as to what they were. Mr.
Walker said:
One is the fact that union labor Of
Ell Paso is not benefited in a direct
way by the enforcement of this law,
because it is the unskilled or what YOU
term common labor that Will be bene-
fitted. That class of labor being done
lied But this is only another evidence
that union labor seeks to benefit all
classes of labor.
The other mates is: In every CITY
in Texas as large as FL Paso. these COM
mon or unskilled laborers receive from
Sl-75 to $500 per day for eight hours
per day. It therefore follows that it
IS the intention Of the law that the
laborers being benefited by the law
by reduction Of hours of from nine
and 10 to eight should not be subjected
to reduction in wages.
The city Of Ell Paso has been a poor
employer, 1 am told, ever since the
present ring administration went into
power and the wages paid to the CITY
employees are now lower upon the nine
and 10 hour basis than they are in any
other Texas city on the eight-hour
basis
This matter is Of vital Importance
to business men and merchants who
realize that a we'll paid laborer is the
best customer and a circulating medium
of read cash. There can be no reason
why the city and county should not be
fair employer, at least as fair as other
cities in Texas the size of FL Paso.
I believe that our labor union people
are desperately in earnest about the
enforcement of this law. They want
to see the poorly paid Mexican Iaborer
have shorter hours and better wages
because our home Mexican people de-
serve better treatment than they have
been receiving in wages and hours pax
ticulsrly."
Asked regarding the police and fire
departments, he said:
The courts of other states have held
that the law does not affect these de-
partments and I think they will so hold
in Texas under this law. But 1 believe
these people are justly entitled to eight
hour shifts. The only way they will
get shorter hours will be to organize -
It is said the Central Labor union
will meet next Monday night and If the
law is not complied with by that time
action will be taken that will cause
immediate compliance with it, The fine
is $500 for each and every violation
thereof and each separate day is a sep
arate offence.