Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-05-22

for the coming wages movement II
During an inquiry into the conditions
Prevailing in the haIberdashery indus
try, which lis largely carried on by
home work, it was stated that in Wen
ma there are 1000 to 1900 persons en-
ployed in the work of making fringe
buttons. They earn about one grone
Q0d) for days work of IL to Is
hours One employer asserted that
in his home town six and seven year
old children are engaged in this work
at home in their dinner time and after
school, sometimes the whole afternoon
as we'll, till or 8.o'clock in the even
ing, for 80 heller (3d.) day. - The
government has proclaimed that the
abolition of certaian feast days by the
Pope does not affect Austria. The
Bakers Union, numbered 9,548 mem
bers at the end Of the year 1912, as
compared with 1854 in the previous
year. $4,000. kronen (G5,700) were
applied to benefit purposes In 1912. =
Sutherland
I The shoemakers in Berne have given
notice of the termination of their
agreements in order, among other
things, to obtain an advance in their
minimum wage scale from 48 to so
centimes (from sd to 5hd). The mas
tiers will not go above so centimes, SO
that fight is possible. - At the end
of the year 1912 the Union Of Workers
engaged in the Provision trades num-
bered 1915 members, of which 7S4
were bakers, 646 brewery workers, 318
gardeners 907 cooperative society en-
ployes, 528 butchers, 1914 chocolate
workers, 905 tobacco workers, etc. -
The Swiss Enginemen's Union now
numbers 1901 members against 1856
last year. The Swiss Federation of
Cooperative Societies has now 4,044
employees in the affiliated societies,
with an average wage of 1900 francs
/ (97D per year. The total turn over in
the year 1911 was 80 million francs; in
1912, 81 million; against $4,000 francs
in the year 1892.
Sp0i''-
There still seems to he a number OF
apparently insurmountable difficulties
in the way of establishing q National
Union Of workers engaged in the typo
} graphical trades; one of the most i'm
portant drawbacks being the influence
OF local patriotism and some queer feel
ing that exists between the separate
provinces and which has, If anything,
been accentuated by the increase OF
unemployment since the war. All
these obstacles threaten to Illustrate
the plans of the most ardent Madrid
unionists who are at the present mo-
ment eagerly striving for a national
union. Many of the existing local
typographical unions have their own
journal, some OF whom are published
monthly, while others are issued once
a quarter. There are two such trade
papers issued by the typographical
unions Of Madrid, one In Barcelona.
one in Sarragosso, one in Seville, one
in Valencia, etc. No interchange OF
cards or other mutual agreement ex-
lists between the individual unions. It
is interesting to note that master
printer of Madrid has published a
pamphlet on the question. He strongly
advocates the establishment of nation
al unions OF the men asswell as Of the
employers in the printing trade, for
he maintains that there can be no
hope Of improvement in the sad con-
ditions Of the trade until both sides
have strong independent organizations.
In order to check the increase Of un-
employment in their branch OF the in
dustry, the Barcelona printers have
resolved, by 348 votes to 2S2, to in
augurate movement for the reduction
of working hours from nine to eight
hours per day.
Fr6nce- -,
According to the annual report of
the Building Workers Federation, the
average working day -(Paris not in
cluded) for the workers in the building
trades is in 90 districts IL hours, in
nine districts liz hours, in 81 places
Ii hours, in nine places 1011 hours, In
73 places 10 hours, in two different
places ~ hours and nine hours re-
spectiyely. The wage per hour fol
lmasons and plasterers is in three
places, under 40. confines, (4dl pei
hour, in q PLACES 40 to - Confines
Iper hour, in IS pfAces 50 to 50 centimes
Iper hour; in 81 pieces 80 to So confines
lper hour. in IL places 10 to 70 cen.
: times per hour. n iiFe places 30 to s!
{ lcentimes per hour. In fve places 81
I centnmes per hour. - Jouhaux. IA