The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-12-12
LABOR ITEMS OF INTEREST

Two large shipbuilding plants are
being erected In southern Chile. They
will be ready for operation in Septem-
Der.
One hundred and sixty thousand
", kshire (England) miners are out on
strike, 1t was estimated. Practically
all the pits In West Yorkshire are re-
ported to be idle.
The Plumbers and Gasfitters' union,
Local No. 8 of Chicago, unanimously
adopted a resolution TO be presented
to President Wilson, asking the privi-
lege of using light wines and beers.
The New York municipal civil serv-
ice commission announced that among
steps being taken to fill the vacancies
In the police. fire and street cleaning
departments was the employment OF
women street sweepers In outlying dis
tricts.
/, Four thousand employees Of the Ma
tlonal India Rubber company who re-
turned to work at Bristol, r. l., after
being on strike for month, walked
but again. Police and company Off
Gals said the strike was ordered by
labor leaders and that no wage de-
mands had been presented.
l. Announcement was made at Louis
Vile, KY, that unionization Of approx
imately 1900 shopmen in the employ
of the Louisville & Nashville railroad
has been completed. Organization Of
the men. II is said. has been an is
sue between union organizations and
the railroad management for many
years.
Six hundred striking decorators In
% potteries at East Liverpool, o.,
voted to stand pat on their demands
for % per cent wage increase. The
possibility of a complete shutdown Of
the decorating shops Is intimated. TIE
manufacturers announced that here
after only essential ware will be manu-
featured.
Immediate payment OF retroactive
awards made to ship workers In set
Element of wage disputes was ordered
by Charles Piez, general manager OF
the Emergency Fleet corporation. Fall
visions of the awards, Mr.. Piez said,
Is "fairly general In some yards Of
| all districts"
officials of the United States Mine
Workers appealed to Fuel Administra-
tor Garfield to order coal operators to
discontinue payment Of bonuses and
substitute therefor q fiat wage In
crease. This action was taken after
an all-day conference Of mine district
representatives with President Frank
j. Hayes and other national officers of
the union.
Albany. N. Y. will be the scene of
! the 1919 convention Of the Interna.
tional Typographical union, II a ses.
sion is held next year. A referendum
will be submitted to the entire mem.
bership. The convention adopted O
referendum provision for an assess
ment of five cents a member for money
to reimburse subordinate unions for
paying dues Of members in war serv
ice.
An increase Of 100000 a yeaf
in wages and bonuses has been
secured for British railway men. The
secretary of the National Union OF
Railway men says: "Wlthout once
having threatened or attempted stop
page of work, we have succeeded In
improving the cedition Of our mem,
bers, at the same time keeping clearly
in mind our great responsibility as q
transport industry"
The railroad administration Is con,
sidering the ACCESSIBILITY Of establish,
ing a uniform pension system for 81,
perannuated railway employees, and
to aid In studying the subject has In.
structed each railroad to report de.
tails of the system In effect among its
employees. Preliminary reports show
wide variety of pension provisions,
some of which work injustice on the
older employees who are too proud ia
apply for retirement. 80
The strike at Bridgeport, Conn.,, Of
approximately 1000 machinists and
tool makers in three Of the most impor-
tant war Industries IN the country.
which threatened to broaden and check
war production throughout this dis
trict. was completely broken at Bridge
port, Conn, when a telegram from
Frank p. Walsh, Joint chairman of the
national war labor board. was received
at meeting Of 5000 Of the union men.
Mr.. Walsh assured them In the tele.
gram that the minimum wage scale
asked by the union will be substantial
~ granted In the boards decision.
The Welsh miners are agitating for
a shortening Of their working day
They are now demanding q six-hour
day by legislation.
Pressmen. mailers and stereotypers
of the newspaper Offices In Toronto
have been granted 8 per cent In
crease as q wat bonus.
Telephone operators at the Tusca
fawas IN. ~ county telephone ex
change withdrew their demands and
returned to work after striking FOL
higher wages. when they learned tn,
company was under government con
troll. The girls said they wanted Il
, show their loyalty.