The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-11-30
BRIEF LABOR ITEMS

Elizabeth, N. j. has an aircraft
factory employing more than 5000
persons.
The British National Sailors and
Firemen's union has now paid over
$450,000 in shipwreck, death and acct
dent benefits.
Pressmen, mailers and stereotypers
of the newspaper offices in Toronto
have been granted a six per cent in
crease as a war bonus.
The local trades council has made
strong protest against the proposal
to employ women as street car drivers
In West Midland (England) district.
Eastern Ohio miners are hopeful of
obtaining another advance in wages.
They base their hopes on the fact that
anthracite miners recently were grant
ed an advance.
Women employees of the California
state printing Office have made 200
pairs Of shoes for Belgian babies from
scraps OF leather and corduroy lisedI
IN book binding.
Baltimore (Md.) clothing cutters and
trimmers' union was recently awarded
an increase of So a week in nearly all
the shops. In February similar adj
vance was secured.
Organized labor did It's part In
helping Chicago reach its Liberty bond
quota. George Meyers, secretary of
Labor's Liberty league, announced that
organized labor in Chicago had sub
scribed for $3,424,600 worth of bonds.
The employees of the Springfield
(Mass.) Aircraft corporation walked
out In an effort to enforce demands
for an increase in wages. A demand
for an eight-hour day was granted,
and took effect at once. The company
employs about 1000 persons, who are
said to be unorganized.
The threatened strike of Des MONIES
| Qa.) street car employees was virtu-
| ally called off on receipt of dispatch
from Washington stating that the war
labor board hadsruled that any dispute
must be arbitrated locally, but that it
could be taken to Washington later If
the local findings proved imperative.
Substantial wage increases are to
be sought by the Boston Telephone
Operators union and the wage scale
committee has opened conferences
with the general manager. The pres
ent agreement, under which maxi
mum of SIG weekly is reached after
six years Of service, expires on De-
cember 81.
| Labor difficulties at the Ford sub
marine chaser plant, Kearny, N. j.,
| resulting in 500 men going on strike
because Of alleged open shop practices
of the Ford Motors company and the
| Introduction of the American Bridge
company's forces, are being settled.
The men are returning to work pend
ing the decision of the arbitration Off
Gals, to whom will be submitted the
more radical grievances by the bust
ness agents, who have gone to Wash
ington for that purpose.
Twice as many women are employed
Ill Tie liiuuotIltS VI cIlnOHL Ut lhC
present time as there were two years
ago, according to statistics complied
| by r. w. Simonds, state COM
missioner. The statistics com
piled do not include women who have
supplied places In offices formerly held
by men. There are now employed in
the industries of Vermont $4,000 per-
sons. OF this number $500 are men,
1900 are minors aud 1890 are women.
Because of their inefficiency from
fifteen to twenty shipyards now build
Ing wooden ships will not receive any
| additional contracts. Mr.. Hurley
would not make public the names of
the yards nor indicate when the clos
ing would begin.
Seventeen hundred Porto Ricans
have arrived at Fayetteville, N. O., to
do construction work at Camp Bragg,
where the largest artillery cantonment
In the United States is to be built. The
men were taken in three trains, from
| the port of arrival In this country d.
rectly to the camp, where quarters had
| been provided for them. .-.