Denver labor bulletin., 1915-09-25

Two new unions haze lecn chartered
by the l. T. U. in this district since our
hast meeting, viz: Rock Springs and Cas-
per, Wyo.
Your president would respectfully call
to your attention the employment biirt au
feature which has been .ldorsed by fer
mer meetings of this conference, and
which your officers have endcavored to
put into effect the past year.
The welfare of the unemployed mem
bers OF our craft is subject that mer-
its the most careful consideration of
this conference and all locals of the j.
T. Z: Your president is one of those
who believe that the man walking the
street is at all times protecting the man
who has job He it is who refuses
to work for less than the scale and fire.
quently undergoes hardships and makes
sacrifices that are quite unknown to
many fortunate ones who have seldom
il ever been placed in a similar posi-
ton.
There are many desirable country sit
uations in the three states embraced in
the jurisdiction of this conference. and
many union men who willingly would
accept these positions. One of the prob
lems before us is to bring the man and
the job together.
The secretary has charge of this i'm
portant feature of our work, and his
report will undoubtedly cover it fully.
However, / would again urge that
more attention and publicity be given
this important subject.
Incidentally, it might be mentioned
that formerly a non-union publisher was
president of the Colorado State Editorial
association. Members of the associa-
tion are said to have frequently written
his office when in need of printers. This
gentleman was reported to have main
tained sort of clearing house for nom
union printers from country towns in
Kansas. Iowa and other states So far
as een be ascertained no union printer
ever secured position thru that source
At the annual meeting of the association
last wear change was made in the
presidency of the organization. MEM
ber of the International Typographical
Union now holds that position. He is
in hearty accord with the employment
bureau feature of this conference. and
has assisted your officers materially.
The friendly relations existing between
this gentleman and the Officers of this
society should result in much good along
employment lines in the future
Your president would recommend that
further and persistent action be taken to
equnlize the wage scales in the Typo
graphical unions in this competitive dis
triet The fact Of one of our local un-
ions having a Job scale Of S24 a week
and another union only forty-five miles
distaat having a job scale OF SIS per
week does not appeal to your Officers
as being just either to the fair employ
ers in the first instance, or to our jour
nevmen printers in the second instance
u 4. 4
trict run all the way from SIS to s26
per week. In but one union does tho
former price prevail. The next lowest
scale is SIS. and the general average is
somewhat higher. Many of our members
have expressed the opinion that a scale
anything less than SIS per week, in this
intermountain section. is entirely too
low. and it might be as well to have no
local in town where lower wages pre-
vail
A feature of other like conferences, is
a report issued at stated intervals Civ
iNesthe condition of trade. number Of
unemployed. scale negotiations and 9th
er interesting information, same to be
sent by secretaries of local unions to the
secretary OF the district conference. and
by him compiled. printed and mailed to
unions and chapels for the information
deavored to follow this plan. but re-
grct to say that local secretaries. ex-
cept. in one or two instances. failed or
neglected to send in the reports. Your
president would suggest that local Of
ficerx assist in this matter. and another
effort be made to start this feature of
our work.
A few facts and figures gathered from
the officers' reports to the recent Los
Angeles convention in relation to Typo
graphical Union affairs in this district
might prove interesting.
In regard to district organizations,
President Marsden G. Scott said in his
report:
These conferences deserve and will re-
ceive the earnest support and co-opera-
ton Of the Officers of the international
union. The officers of the smaller
unions are brought in touch thru these
organizations and thru the interchange
of views and experiences they are better
able to meet emergencies as they arise.
THE members of these smaller unions
have much to contend with. Many of
the delegates to this convention have
lived in these small towns and worked
under low scales The sacrifices made
and the obstacles overcome by members
of tho International Typographical
lnion in these unions commend these
Organizations to our most earnest con-
sidcration. We must assist them, be-
cause they need and deserve assistance.
frequently employers in the larger cities
complain of the competition of employ
ers operating under lower scales in ad-
Joining towns. These wide differences
in scales can only be corrected thru the
cooperation of the international union.
To help the weaker unions is duty.
To remove these wide inequalities in
scales is matter of business which
must not be neglected"
The report of the committee ON pro-
vincial, state and district unions. which