The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-10-12
GENERAL LABOR NEWS

A uniform compensation, insurance
and pension plan for all railroad en-
| ployees is under consideration by the
railroad administration. ut is hoped
1t may be possible to arrange for the
retirement of employees on pension at
a given age as well as to provide for
their purchase of life, health and old
age insurance at reasonable rates."
said the announcement. "Time will be
required to perfect these plans, which
must be reconciled with varying PEN
1 sions and insurance organizations now
in existence on not few railroads"
During the next few months mini
mum wage hearings will be conducted
In practically all the large cities Of
Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Industrial
commission. The first hearing will be
| in Milwaukee Sept. 81 to select a To-
cal minimum wage board to gather in
formation regarding wages paid to
minors and women in Milwaukee. Two
| petitions have been filed with the in
dustrial commission asking for the
fixing of minimum wage in Wiscon-
sin by the Federation Of Labor and
the Wisconsin Consumers league.
Box factories have discovered, ac-
cording to information which has
reached the United States department
of labor, that women can very well re-
place boys and young men who can be
more effectively employed elsewhere.
The women already employed in a
number Of box factories have proved
highly efficient and useful, and they
can, in fact, do almost any kind of
work that young men of high school
age have been doing except some Of
the heavier tasks.-New York Com
mercial.
Dishmakers in potteries throughout
the United States and Canada were
granted bonus of Is per cent over
the 1915 scale on certain articles of
pottery we're, IN q supp Elemental agree
ment to the present contract made by
the United States Potters' association
with the National Brotherhood Of
Operative Potters. Concessions in
working conditions were also granted
jiggermen.
A committee of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, conducted by mem
bers of the italian emigration commits
sion, local chamber Labor and Work
mems union, visited the war works and
factories at Genoa, Italy. Several Of
the Americans addressed the workmen
on the object of the war and the part
America has taken in it. The Ameri-
cans were cordially received.
Labor agents for the railroads of
the eastern states are in Ell Paso, Tex,
to employ Mexican track laborers for
eastern railways. Mexicans are being
sent East from here in carload lots.
The Mexican peon laborer makes an
excellent track worker. He will move
from place to place with his family,
pots, pans and parrots at an hours
notice.
The British labor congress, by ma
JULY vi 1--WE W OIlCJ DdSoCu u ICpOlu-
ton to the effect that the war has not
changed the soundness of the princi-
pies of free trade and urging upon the
government the danger Of imposing
tariffs or imposts. A resolution urging
the government to grant home rule in
Ireland was carried by reclamation.
Five thousand striking union ma
chinists from the Bridgeport, Conn,
munitions plant at meeting listened
to the reading of the message from Will
liam Fl. Johnston, president Of the In
ternational Association of Machinists,
calling on the men to return to work
within 48 hours, and then voted unani-
mously to continue the strike.
Charles Fogel flfty-fiye, a miner
has made new record at Moundsville, |
w. Va, for loading coal. In one day
he loaded thirty tons and seventeen
hundredweight, earning $500 for
eight hours work Fogel's pay en-.
velope for eleven days contained
S169.S9.
Jack Dempsey, heavyweight pugiE
ist, will engage in work at the Sun
Shipbuilding plant, Chester, near Phil
adelphia. -Four years ago Dempsey
worked in Seattle (Wash.) ship
yard. He labored on the shipways, in
the blacksmith shop, handled a rivet-
ing machine and was carpenter, and
also repaired vessels.
The California state executive board
of the California Oil and Gas Well
Workers union, representing 10000
men employed in oil fields, announced
that a wage increase averaging about
81 day man would be sought from
the federal oil Cancellation board at
Los Angeles.
Wages for women engaged in the
flsh-canning industry in California
have been fixed by the state industrial
welfare commission at minimum Of i
$40 week for 48 hours.
Woman suffrage was Endorsed al
the annual convention of the Pennsyl.
n - ~