The Mankato free press., 1916-05-05
Employers Would Not Yield to
Eight-Rour Demand
MATTERSREACHEDCRISIS
Bosses Claim That They Would
Be Big Losers BY Cutting
Down Day

Union plumbers were locked out OF
the shops today. They worked up
to the closing time yesterday and
were notified that if they did not
wish to work the nine hours that
the employers required they need
not come back this morning. The
plumbers have been fighting for an
eight-hour day.
The plumbers were ready to give
their employers until May Is to come
to terms. The employers could not
stand for the eighthour day, they
said and they preferred to bring the
the crisis on at once, and get the
whole matter settled at once, rather
than wait until the building became
more active, and there would be a
big demand fer plumbing work.
The employers take the position
that MankatO is, generally speaking,
not an eight-hour city. 1t is true
that the bricklayers have an eight
hour day, but ether crafts, they say,
have not. The result is that by max
ing the plumbing day an eight hour
failing to make connections with the
men of other crafts. They complain,
for example, that they would have to
pay for the time of a drayman, when
he would be waiting for plumber
They say this has often happened
even under present conditions, with
the nine-hour day.
Where Parties Divide.
Aside from the eight-hour day de-
mand, it would seem that the en-
ployers and employees are not far
apart The men demanded an eight
hour day, with 81 day for the best
help. the others being ranged accord
ing to ability The best men have
been getting So. so a day, a day be-
ing nine hours. The employers have
been willing to pay $4 a day for a
nine hour day. That would be about
Al cents an hour. The union plumb
ers have been willing to accept $3.50
for the best men, the day being eight
hours That would mean almost A
cents an hour This offer was made
to the employers at noon yesterday
and was turned down.
AS far as the pay per hour is con-
practically together But the plumb
ers do not wish to work nine hours
day and employers seem to think
an eight hour day would cause much
loss to themselves
The notice offering the men 81 for
q nine-hou day was signed by Nc
Laurin & Northrup, Krost e Harty,
the Mankato Manufacturing company
r. J. Power, the Mankato Plumbing
and Heating company and c. NJ. Mas
ters.e The name, of the McGraw shop
did not appear. This notice gave the
plumbers until Saturday noon to ac-
cept, but the time was later extended
Eighteen Union Plumbers.
There are eighteen of the union
plumbers in the city. There are a
few non union, but John Saenger, the
president of the union, said he did
not know CT any attempt being made
by the employers to continue the
plumbing work, in spite of the lock-
out. by the use of the non union help
in the place of the union. Some say
there are as many as half dozen
nom union plumbers in the city. These
of course, would not be enough to
keep the normal amount of work 60
ing. or anything like it.
Mr.. Saenger has sent notice OF
the controversy to the Chicago head
quarters of the United Association of
Plumbers and Steam Filters of the
United States and Canada. Today he
received from the Chicago office a
telegram to the effect that Vice Presi-
dent Conroy would soon visit Man
kato to look into the situation.