The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-15
UNIONS FIRMLY BACK
Of STRIKING GIRLS
Some Decision AZ 20 Southern Manu-
featuring Company Strike
Looked for Today.
DENY PUBLISHED REPORT
President Laird Says No Statement
Has Bccn Made That the Company
Would Take Back None OF Striking
Employees.

Whether or not the Southern Manu-
featuring Company. makers Of Good
Luck and "Princine" baking pow
ders. will meet the demands Of the
nifty young women who walked out
of the plant Saturday morning will
be known by this afternoon. A COM
mittee composed of Howard 7. Col
win, F.. A. Cosby, ]. II. Gardner, q. l..
Wilcox, +. T.. Maxey and c E. Bot
toms, representing the Central Trades
and Labor Council of Richmond, APP
pe;red before the management OF the
South Richmond company yesterday
morning in behalf of the girls, but
no definite answer was received by
the to1y. This committee was APP
pointed Sunday afternoon by Prasi-
dent II. A. White. of the labor or
ganization. at a meeting held Mt Fifth
and Marshall Streets by thu Central
Trades and Labor Council. together
with representatives. of the sixty al
LIED unions in Richmond, members Of
the Equal Suffrage League CT Rich
moad. and of the Richmond House,
wives League.
When communicated with last
night r. c. Laird. president OF the
Southern Manufacturing Company.
ueClAEeu tHat ING IHhittT
the young women is now under con-
sideration and that some Definite de-
cision will be reached not later than
this afternoon. He denied, however.
the statement in one of the afternoon
papers TO the effect that none of the
strikers will be re-emplnyed by rhe
company He declared that this will
not be decided until this afternoon.
Their Earnings HCduccd.
According the giFla wnp walked
out Saturday, the step taken by them
was prompted by the piece work basis
on which they have TO work in the
plant They declare thai up to eigh-
teen months ago they were able to
make from s12 to SIS pc. week whilc
they had steady employment, but this
plan was abolished ana they were
given a straight salary OF 81 per day.
short while ago they were again
put on piece work at a much reduced
basis, enabling them to make only
from s1.2s to $3.50 per day. The
girls declare that their chief ohtec-
, tian tas,the ,Iaw scale. WAS the. sast.
that their employment was not con-
slant they averaging only from tive
to seven months a year. This, at
their present wage, renders ii impos-
sihle fortthe to make a living, they
declare.
Following the meeting Sunday af-
ternoon In the Labor Temple, rep
resentatives of the Central Trades and
Labor Council advised the girls to re-
main at their homes until their griev-
ances are rectified. They were also
told by one of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor organizers that their
! i n necessary y the ! matter iMbe taken
I to the national body.
/ 1t Is understood that the commit
tee representing the Richmond unions
will again appear before the manage
Nent today in an effort to get some
dNfinite answer In the meantime the
young women are remaining at thei.
homes awaiting developments.
President Laird has made an en-
phatic denial OF the statement by
the young women to the effect that
the plant is poorly ventilated He
! says that 1t meets with the approval
of the State labor department. Presi-
dent Laird declares that the rooms
have many. windows and has ample
4 ventilation.