The Arizona copper camp. [volume] (Ray, Ariz.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-06

Mr.. Z. Il. Mills, manager of the In
spiration Consolidated Copper Com
pany, and Mr.. B. Britton Gottsberger,
manager of the Miami Copper Com
pany, have issued to their employees t
he following circular letters, which are
self explanatory:
To the Inspiration Employees:
Miami, Ariz., Dec. 27, 1916
This company has been requested to
meet a committee from Local No. TO-
Miners Union to sign an agreement
calling for the CLOSED shop and an
increase of fifty cents per day in the
present wage rate.
This letter is addressed to you in
order to make clear and definlue tn.
position of the company on these and
other subjects.
The request for CLOSED shop" is a
proposal that the company shall COM
pei every one of it's workmen to join
the union, and shall force collections
from them of all dues, arrears, assess
ments and fines levied by the union.
1t is my duty to tell you that the In
SEPARATION company will not adopt this
policy. 1t has never concerned itself
and it will never refuse him work be-
cause he does not. The freedom of in
dividual choice, that has hitherto been
exercised by the employee who preferred
to join the union, this company will
continue to grant to the man who does
not To the Inspiration company no
other attitude seems fair between a
company and it's workmen. This is the
"open shop"-a policy the company has
maintained in the past and will in the
future.
The Inspiration company has in the
past always dealt directly with it's en-
ployes and it is always willing to do
that on all subjects of common con-
Germ and interest. 1t does not believe
an agreement with an outside labor Or
ganization will be for the real interests
Of the company, the workmen them
selves, or the community, and it there
fore will not now or in future enter
into this argument for a "closed shop"
with the union or deal with it's officials
or committees.
With no uncharitable feelings for the
Cin yIo ;y1z w
from the above, we are yet obliged to
say, that insistance on the part of the
union officials for their program can
have but one result 1t will mean a
suspension of operations and a loss of
the benefits of the present prosperity
in the copper industry to the company,
it's men, and the community at large.
The company declines to increase the
present wage scale because the request
is manifestly unreasonable In the
wage scale now in effect it was the
endeavor of the company to make one
SO just and fair in the hours of work
and wages paid that no reasonable and
candid man could judge them other
wise. The company believes it is such
a scale. I am asking you as an employee
have nothing but common interests,
since everything the company and it's
employees can be mutual suggestion ana
cooperation do to increase the safety
and improve the community in which
we live, is for the good of both.
The company is seeking this coop
for and you elected an employees COM
mittee. 1t is sincerely trying to bring
to light and remove every just griev
ance 1t is sincerely trying to bring
to light and remove every just griev-
ance 1t has invited you or any ag
grieved employee, to come directly to
personally through your Employees
committee.
It is trying to bring about better
and safer working conditions through
cooperation with safety committees
selected by it's employees, through sug-
gestions sought directly from it's men,
and by the most earnest direct efforts.
It's hours of work and wage scale are
fair.
I am asking you to consider if the
statements just made are true. If they
are, then a fair deal calls for a fair
judgment from reasonable men, and l
shall be sorry if you do not conclude
to lease strife, with it's losses, hard
ships and bitterness, to those who have
real wrongs they cannot right any
other way
G. E. MILLS,
General Manager, Inspiration Consoli-
dated Copper Co.