Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-06-12
Germ0mg-

NO' "VVtV2 ,
The copper smiths union now num-
bers 5,256 members in 100 branches,
against AS in the year 1910. This
union is the only one to decline to
amalgamate with the Metal Workers
Union. ~ The Hotel Workers Union
raised its number of members from
1898 to 1922, including female
workers, last year, included in the lat
ter number were 1852 hotel and res
taurant walters, Zip cafe walters
267 cooks and 3,101 hotel and restau-
rant porte1s, etc. The union conduct
ed 268 wages movements last year in
which .6,4lO persons were involved. A
total increase in wages of II, 625 marks
{ 9880( per week was otained for
4,914 persons. Collective agreeme nts
were entered into, in which ,477
workers were concerned; downright
surprising result for a calling which
has worked along trade union lines
for years without seeming to reap any
benefits. The funds of the union
amount to $4,000 = The Factory
Workers Union has a membership of
207,597 at the beginning. of the present
year, of which number 26,324 were
increase in membership OF q1S,154 The
total income of the central fund was
G217S00 and financial assistance. was
rendered to the amount of e104,600
The total funds stand at G200,600. AL
together 500 wages movements have
to be, recorded for the year 1912 (tnis
number includes strikes, lock-outs,
etc.,. 43 disputes were settled with
out a discontinuance of work being
resorted to; "a aggressive strikes, 40
defensive strikes and "a lock-outs
took place. The results obtained were
reduction in the hours of labor for
1861 persons aggregating A. 81
hours per week an increase in wages
for 1896 persons amounting to G3,-
979 per week. The union successfully
opposed the employers efforts to re-
duce the wages of employees in the
case of 1,067 workers The amount per
week being involved was Silt. The
cost of all wage movem ents wos G39,-
1893. The regulation of wages and CON
ditions of labor by means of tariff
agreements made appreciable pro-
gress in the year 1912. The number of
tariff agreements entered into for the
year 1912 rose to 1863 as compared
with 3O1 in the previous year, the
number of factories affected to GIT
as compared with 4S9, the number of
persons working under such agree
ments rose from 29,S50 to 35,425. Ac-
cording to these agreements maxi
mum working week of "a hours has
been agreed upon for 019 workers,
So hours for 6,207 workers, "a for e.
AL workers, 81 to 81 hours for $40
workers and over 81 hours for AZ
workers. - The Potters' (earthen-
Ware) Union numbered 1921 mem
bers at the beginning of this year, that
is 442 fewer than the previous year.
This falling off is attributable to
crisis in the trade itself. The years
income amounted to 919,800 and the
expenditure to G20 800, of which sum
6 $500 was used for the financial as
sistance of the unemployed. The total
funds stands at G18,800. The union is
new very busy discussing plan for
the amalgamation of their orgamiza-
ton with that of the glass blowers and
the china potters. Such an amalga-
nation would result in an organiza
ton $4,000 members strong. = Ac-
cording to Statistics published by
the Factory Workers Union, it seems
that the profits of the employers have
risen by 97.6 per cent during the last
30 years, whilst the workers wages
have risen by 51.9 per cent only. From
the year 1900 to 1911 the cost of liv-
ing rose 81 per cent, the wages by 10
per cent and the employers profits by
80 per cent,