The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-07-26
RUSTuNG CARD SYSTEM
Be RETAINED IN BUTTE
NOTIFICATIONS BY BIG coMPAN-
iES-PAYDAY EVERY
WEEK.

One of the chief bones of contention
between the miners union and the
mining companies at Butte is the
"rustling card system" which Nigh,
be described as "a seective system
of employing men for the mines, mills
and smelters similar to the system
which for many years was practiced
by most of the mines in this district
and which originated here following
the labor disturbances of 1899. The
rustling card method is not directed
against members of the union. Its pur-
pose is to discriminate in the employ
ment of men, regardless of their union
utilization, in order to protect the COM
panies from the lawless, disturbing
and generally undesirable element. AT
this time above all others the rustling
card system serves a most useful pur-
pose In Butte in keeping out of the
mines members of the |. w. w. and its
81
the companies are in no mood to aban.
don it. This view is evidently shared
by the executive board of the Mon
tana State Metal Trades council,
which is affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor. At conference
between the metal trades executive
board and officers of the Anaconda
company the other day, an agreement
was reached by which the system will
be continued with slight modification,
effective August l. The plan as agreed
upon is outlined in the following let
ter from c. F. Kelley, vice president
of the Anaconda company, to c. o.
Edwards, secretary of the metal trades
council:
Mr.. KeIIey's Letter.
Dear Sir-In accordance with the
understanding reached at the confer
ence between your executive board
and Messrs. Gillie, Laist and myself,
l submit herewith this letter. embody-
ing the proposed notifications in the
so-called rustling card system. which
1t Is agreed shall become effective as
soon as complete system can be
worked out to take care of the matter,
and in any event on or before the first
day of August, 1917.
"F'irst-Upon filing an application
on the form now used and of which
you have copy. unless there exists at
the time of filing the application
reason which precludes the issuance
of a card, of which fact the applicant
shall be promptly notified, there shall
be issued to the applicant temper
airy card which will permit him to OBJ
tain employment as vacncies occur in
any of the properties of the A. c. M.
company in either Butte Great Falls
or Anaconda districts, according to
which Office issues the card. Suisse
quent to the issuance of the temper
airy card, unless a good cause deVel-
OPS to cause it's cancellation, per-
manent card shall be issued to the APP
plicant.
"Second-Whenever any one enter
ing the services of the company, in
event of such persons subsequently
leaving it's service, such persons shall
not be obliged to apply for or obtain
another rustling card, so called, but
shall receive back his original card or
clearance card, as may be worked out,
which will enable him, without going
through the employment office, to seek
and obtain employment in event OF a
vacancy in any of the properties OF
the company, unless for a good and
sufficient reason the rustling card
which has been issued has been taken
up and cancelled.
The details of this system have not
as yet been completed, and therefore
is embodied in general terms, in ac-
cordance with our understanding"
Temporary Permits.
Commenting on the changes agreed
upon in the rustling card system. the
Anaconda Standard says the system
will apply to miners as we'll as to the
metal trades craftsmen, whose COM
mittee at its conferences on wages
asked for a modification of the rustl-
ing card.
The notifications will remove de-
tails of the present system which were
so much disliked by workers. In the
past, miners and craftsmen who
sought work in the mines made APP
pication for a rustling card, which
gave the holder an opportunity to
seek work at the mines, and then
waited for acceptance or rejection OF
the application until the mining COM
panies had inspected the references
given by the applicant. Sometimes
this necessitated a delay as long as 20
days and frequently 10 days elapsed
between the time application was
made and the day the applicant was
informed as to whether or not he could
have rustling card. The granting OF
a temporary card does away with this
wait. Another objection to the old
system was that miner was COM
PEELED to get another card if he quit
the employ of the company or any job
and later wanted to work again. In
the future miner will not have to 30
IN tho onnnloymant office again huf