Valdez daily prospector., 1916-04-17
LABOR UNION IS
 GROWING RAPAAY
tLABcR CONuITIONs PREFERRED
Secretary of Nary Alaska labar .Un. ion Writes an Interesting Letter ,Cope erning thP Situation iH the New Railroad Town.

Charles. McCallum. Secretary oi the local branch of tbt Western Fedora tiDn of Mines, is in receipt of the fol- lowing interesting letter from F. H. Ringstad, Secretary of the recently formed Alaska Labor Union. regard ing the union and ttse labor situation at Anchorage:
 "As we have enlisted in our men,- bership many former members of the Valdez Miners Union and as we are carrying on a campaign to enlighten and inform all unions and workers in Alaska of conditions on railroad and construction work in this vicinity we take this opportunity to write you ill this respect. As you have no doubt read newspaper accounts of general conditions here l may say that at the time of tte walkont of the steel gang on the railroad, alter being refused their demands, conditions were in tolerable. Men slept on their blan- kets on the frozen gnound all winter and were pressed in different ways beyond endurance and comnlissary conditions were poor and unheai'hy Under such conditions agitation natn- rally arises and the men decided to ask for a raise from 37 1-2c to soc per hour and better living conditions. and if their demands were not grant ed by February 7th, they were to quit work and attempt the formation of an organization comprising all work CTS in this vicinity. On February 7th the hall was not large enough to ac- commodate one-third of the workers. -.It was then decided to form a permanent organization on the Sth for which a larger hall had to be se- cured. In five days time the organi- zation grew to HOO members and be- ing the majority composed of the workers in this vicinity, our demands were sent by committee to Commis- sioner Mears. who then informed us that he was not empower to grant same but would forward by wire to Commissioner Edes and Riggs at Washington, D. c.
 On March 1st the boys decided to declare a general strike on March 7, Tiff their demands were not granted by the Commission. On March 3, MT. Mears received wires from Secretary Lane at Washington. This telegram informed them that committee ap- pointed by the Secretary of Labor was en route to Anchorage for the pur- pose of Investigating and adjusting wage scale, said wage scale to be put into effect on the railroad construc- tion work
 On March 4th the Union decided to defer action regarding general strike until after the arrival of this committee and to return to work at the old wage scale if an agreement could be made between Commissioner Mears and the Union that the men were to receive back pay for the time employed from March 6, until the time the committee set the new wage scale.
 "There are 761 members employed at present under these conditions and we have total membership today of 1900. Men are now coming over the trail and are falling in line and join ing the union.
 The investigating committee is now in the city but have not at this time informed us of action to be taken. The members of this union decided that this organization should not af- filiate with any outside union and that it should be formed on the in- dustrial plan and incorporate and is sue charters to any and all workers in the different parts of Alaska. In due time we hope to send organizers around to organize under our ban ner. The coal mines at Matanuska are just opening and the miners are now being hired from this Union. From time to time I shall inform you on conditions here. trust your union is meeting with success and that your members are steadily em- ployed and hoping to hear from you regarding conditions in your locality, we are yours for emancipation. 1 P. H. RINGSTAD.