Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-12-07
SEEK RECOGNITION OF UNIONS
Movement to Bring Pressure to Bear
on Employers During the Pres
ent War Crisis.

on Employers During the Pres
ent War Crisis.
Reports of evasion and violation OF
the law which requires that all work
performed upon government contracts
shall be upon the eight-hOur basis have
aroused trade union heads of the coun-
try and sympathetic officials of the
government to such an extent that a
initiated by the American
Federation of Labor to uniOnize all Ia
Dor, with government encouragement.
is under way. Although little has APP
peared in the open regarding the move
ment, 1t is declared that federation Of
ficers have been comforting with gov
eminent heads for some time with
view to bringing strong pressure to
bear on recalcitrant employers during
the war crisis to recognize trade union
ism. The outcome of the movement,
as yet incipient, will depend, In so far
as the government is concerned, upon
the amount of resistance to the idea
offered by the employers. Just now.
1t is declared, attention is directed to-
ward the steel industry.
Recommendation for a minimum
wage, ranging from SO to $3.50 per
week, for women employed in Kansas
mercantile establishments, was made
to the Kansas welfare commission by
the state mercantile board. The rec
OmmendatiOn provides that employees,
during their first six months service,
will receive not less than Sc a week.
mum wage will be 81 a week, and after
the employee has served year her
weekly wage must not be less than
$3.50.
John p. White resigned as president
Of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea. He will be succeeded as president
of the organization by Frank ]. Hayes,
vice president Of the union. Mr.. White
went at once to Washington to assume
his duties as adviser to DIR. III. A. Gar
field, national fuel administrator. Mr..
Hayes, the new president, who has
been vice president for seven years,
announced that there would be no rad
ical change in the policy Of the organi-
zation.
Organization Of coal mining regi-
ments from miners already in the Ma
tional army. for service in France Is
under consideration by Secretary Ba-
ker. Informal negotiations are being
conducted with France. Government
officials In touch with the union believe
most of the $4,000 miners taken on the
first draft call would offer themselves
for the special service.
The American Hardware Manufac-
turers' association In annual meeting
recorded itself in favor Of the open
shop and compulsory arbitration by
the government Of all labor disputes
Resolutions were adopted opposing any
change during the war Of labor work.
ing conditions or hours that existed
when the war began except upon
proper federal authority.
For some years there has been joint
machinery between the British trade
|
tosprevent labor disputes In cO-Opera
tive societies, and it is proposed to i'm
prove and extend this so as to dea
with the questions of wages and condi
tons of work of the army of coop
erative employees.
Seattle telephone girls, numbering
approximately 800, went on strike. bu
returned TO work when their bushes:
agent telegraphed from San Francisco
that their employers had agreed to set
tie their demands for higher wage
and recognition of the union satisfac
tOrily.
Through submission of all labO
questions to q committee to be nomi
mated by the federal government, a
agreed upon by representatives Of boa
owners, the threatened shipping tieu
of the port of New York was averted.
With the decision Of members of tn
Jiggermen's and Kilnmen's union
to return 10 work, the threatened strik
of potters throughout the United State
and Canada has been prevented.
If the proposed fusion of the BIRTHS
. Trades Union congress and the BIRTHS
= cooperative movement takes place tn
l greatest combination of workers in tn
i world, involving 6,OOO,OOO workers, wi
come into existence.
Employees in the Cotton Belt shop
! and yards Mt Texarkana, Tex. VIII
4 struck over wage contract, returne
I 10 work, an agreement with compan
| officials having been reached.
: Training of women to replace col
ductors on the lines of the BrOOkly
s Rapid Transit company who have el
e listed or are engaged in war servic
has begun.
On December 3. at Buffalo, n. Y,
> ternatiOnal Seamen's Union of Anne
lea will meet in convention.
Journeymen tailors will start an Q
ganiZation campaign throughout Ca
, ada's eastern provinces.
4 Membership in the Canadian Trad
congress is now 81 ,6S7, an increase
&c 15.114 over last year.
% A convention of the United Stat
Brewers association decided to raj
a wages of all employees. .
An average of three Japanese wo
ii an immigrants enter the United Stat