The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-02-17
Westinghouse Electric Company
Makes Concessions to Sal
aried and Office Employees.
MEANS INCREASE IN WAGES
Several Thousand Workers in Pitts
burgh District Benefited-Central
Pennsylvania Coal Operators
Offer inducements for Men
to Remain at Posts.

| which they will receive a bonus of
s per cent of their salary each
month providing their total excusable
| time absent and late during the month
does not exceed six hours, incurred on
not over three occasions. An addi-
tional 4 per cent will be given
each month TO the employee who has
not lost any time from work during
| the month through absence or tardi-
ness, thus enabling those affected to
obtain an increase in earnings of II
per cent for full attendance. Several
thousand employees In the Pittsburgh
| district are benefited by the granting
of the bonus.
The Association of Bituminous Coal
| Operators of Central Pennsylvania, in
| session at Clarified, Pa, voted to
grant all miners in the district 10
per cent bonus, provided they do not
strike during the year. The bonus will
| be based on the mems earnings dat
ing from January l of this year.
About 5000 miners are employed in
the district.
Special efforts are now being made
to organize the telegraphers on four
great railways-the Great Northern,
covering 500; Northern Pacific, g.
647; Chicago Milwaukee & st. Paul,
10,509 and Chicago & Northwestern,
| 1918 miles. An effort is also to be
made on the Chicago, Rock Island &
Pacific railroad,
The bonus system of the Lehigh
Coal and Navigation company is de.
nounced as a sweating" process by
members of the United Mine Workers
union, who say the men are speeded
UP to reach a certain figure and then
the company reduces the working
force and insists that the record be
maintained.
The validity of Milwaukee's eight
hour day ordinance, which provides
that the work day for city employees
as well as for employees of contract
ors doing city work, shall not exceed
eight hours, was upheld by the state
supreme court of Wisconsin.
Active work Is now being done by
the Canadian national service board
to supplant male labor for female
wherever possible in munition plants
Already nearly 1,500 women are en-
gagged in the manufacture of munitions
in Ottawa.
President James Waters of thu
trades congress of Canada is workin!
night and day to have the government
give proper attention to the returned
soldiers, so that they may not be il
want at any time.
The present scale Of wages on tn
city ferries in Vancouver, B. c., is a
follows: Captains, SIPS; mates, 800
deckhands, $40; cleaners, $50 chief en-
gineers, $125; ticket collectors, $50
freight clerks, $75.
The Stenographers' union has los
its fight to get a charter as an inter
national union and failed to be award
ed jurisdiction over the office worker
employed by the government
The Japanese government prohibit
organization of labor unions, but col
lective bargaining has come into ex
istence through the formality Of appll
cations to the home office.
st. John, N. B., longshoremen hav
accepted the wage compromise o
steamship companies. Hereafter wage
will be 371a cents an hour. Forme
rate was 81 cents.
A bonus of Is per cent of their year
ly earnings will be paid to about 10
900 Porto Rican sugar workers mex
July, provided they do not strike.
More than 1000 people received en-
ployment through the aid of the Nev
York city office of the state bureau O
employment during October.
A local branch Of the Nationa
Union of General Workers, an Englis
organization, has been formed at Atf
: lone, Ireland.
} The A. F. of l.. is absolutely an
unqualifiedly opposed to militarism an
military training In the public schools
: In Glasgow, Scotland, and some otf
; er cities women are being tried on
: as tram drivers or wotorwomen.
Painters and Decorators Interni
tional union comprises 957 locals, wit
a total membership Of S1,579.
Frisco jitney bus operators unto
has affiliated with the California Stat
Federation of Labor.
AS a result of a vigorous organi,
) ing campaign at Toronto, Can, larg
! numbers of workers are joining I'll
. Ladies' Garment Workers union.
: A Workers Protective associate
has been established in Carlow, Ir
land, the object of which is to combi
/ the increasing price of living.
y A machine has been invented TIN
0 plants from 10000 to $4,000 fores
tree seedlings in day when operate
by three men and two horses.
} The new engineering department
! the Wimbledon (England) schools is
! be used aolely for the instruction
4 women for munition work