United labor bulletin., 1912-04-04
STRIKE RESULTS FROM
law VIOLATIONS
Board of Public Works DoubIe-cross
People and Let Contractors Starve
Laborsrs Into Submission
Reads Weak Position.

Veou WCoN y ~~'
The Investigations in&o the alleged
violations Of the state eight-hour law
and the city charter by the contractors
that are exeavatine for sev%ers on the
North and South Side have resulted IN
bringing to light startling racts< These
facts have been laid before the Board OF
public works, but the board has refused
to act. Henry Read, president orr the
board, claims that he has endeaovredNto
confirm these facts through the eontrsc-
tors, but since the contractors have de-
MED that they are violating the law Mr..
Read claims he cannot confirm the facts.
But Monday the starvation wages and
long hours under which the men have
been working became SO obnoxious that
the men quit work in large numbers and
appealed to the board OF public works
TO have their wrongs righted. This
strike of unorganized men occurred on
Arkansas street between Logan and
Grant. The men had been receiving Is
cents an hour for nine hours work,
which netted the men s1.62 day. When
.the agitation was at it's height the con-
tractors on the South Denver work
promised the men eight hours day
and 20 cents an hour. which would net
the men SLIGO day. or cut OF TWO
cents a day: and when the men started
TO work Monday morning they claimed
that they could no longer live on the
wages paid-and they quit Their ap-
meals to the city officials brought only
an argument between the city officials
and the contractors-with no results to
the men.
The men appealed to the labor com
missioner in body. and Labor Com
missioner Brake promised to prosecute
the violations. but 1t is expected that
these promises will result as they nave
In the past for Commissioner Brake has
on every occasion claimed that he can
not get the district attorney TO act
n srhe men want TO be paid at the rate
y -0ty given other city employees for
similar work, or 25 cents an hour They
took this matter up with the contractors,
the Pueblo Construction company. ana
they we're discharged with the exception
of a few. with whom the contractors De
sired to make Individual contracts The
men stood pat, and the contractors have
applied to the employment agencies Tor
men TO take their places. Men hired
through the employment agencies are
charged so cents for a job at which
they can only make sligo a day.
4, Is understood that the contractors
. on the North Side sewers have ceased
the practice OF sub-letting the work 70
Individuals at a price at which they
/. {rId make less than a dollar-a day.
when men quit work In droyes and
anpeal 10 the city and state officials, II
Is strange that the board OF puphc
works cannot ind out whether OF not
tn. law is being violated Listen TO inns
refly 10 a communication from The state
labor commissioner;
March %, 1912.
Honorable Edwin Y. Brake. Deputy La
Dor Commissioner. State Capitol
Denver.
Dear sir:-ln reply 10 your ieilfF ol
afst inst. enclosing report OF MT
George r. Howe. respecting labor eohu,
,tonx on the North Denver Sewer
nov heing constructed for the city under
contract. | am desired by the board 10
note that you will prosecute any Viola
tion OF the contract in the matter OF sub
ta,,t,y or Of the state eighthour law ap-
plying to state. county and muhieipa'
work.
This board has been. and still Is using
It's hest endeavors to obtain evidence
RELATING to the same. and so TAR mas
been met with fiat denial on the part
Of the contractors Of any violation of
contract. ordinances or statute.
The board OF public works finds u
ditieuit TO make a definite finding on
questions Of disputed fact which can
onIv be ascertsined by court OF law.
Therefore II will gladly place at your
disposal all the information and docu
ments Il possesses and begs to assure
YOU that IL will countenance no inirac'
ton.
| am. yours very truly.
tSigned) HENRY READ,
President
Three days later MIR. Read addresses
letter to the chairman of the pubhc IN
stitutions committee OF the Trades AS
sembly as follows:
Mr.. ]. l.. Compton. Chairman Committee
on Public Institutions of the Denver
Trades and Labor Assembly, 2'ol
Clarkson Street. City.
Dear Sir:-I delayed n reply to yoar
communication until the board could
obtain some information regarding the
sub-letting of the contract for the sew sr
on the North Side.
The board has met with some din-
Guilty in attempting to ascertain both
facts and law, and is still prosecuting
the enquiry.
The board will countenance no infrac-
tion of either contract or ordinance, and
will settle the question as speedily as
possible. am. yours cry truly.
HENRY READ.
President.
When all the facts in the case have
been made public and while both the
labor department and the assembly COM
mittee have given specific cases of law
violation to the board OF public works,
the president of that body says that the
hoard HAS NET WITH SOME DlFFl.
Guilty IN ASCERTAINING BOTH
FACTS AND LAW. And again. MT
Read says that the board finds It din
cult to make definite finding on aues
tions of disputed facts which can only
/. be ascertained by court OF law Ana
IN another paragraph he says that the
N A,ard was met with fiat denial on
the part OF the contractors
II ever n city Official needed the re.
aail II is tho nrnsident of the board OF