Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-23
LABOR UNION NOTES

Local Union No All, Painters and
Decorators held its regular weekly
meeting Tuesday evening, January
Is. Three new members were added
to the roll, and new working rules
were finally adopted, after the en-
dorsement of the General Executive
Board had been received. Hereto
fore this craft has been working for
common laborers' wages, contrary
to the fact that it is the most i'm
portant one in the building trade, for
instance-Who covers up the de-
fects? The marks left on wood and
plaster, answer, the Painter and
Decorator. Who makes the home
sanitary. and beautiful? Answer.
the Painter and Decorator. So the
members of All have decided to
climb out of the common labor class
and ask for so cents per hour and
an eight-hour day, with a half holi-
day on Saturday and the regular
overtime rates.
Plumbers Union No. $50 held an
other wide-awake meeting Wednes-
day, January 16, and adopted the
new scale for plumbers and steam
filters of 621 y cents per hour and an
eight-hour day, the agreements will
be placed in the hands of Business
Manager Brooks as soon as they are
ratified by the Building Trades
Council.
On Thursday evening, January II,
Carpenters and Joiners Union No.
2S7 held one of the largest meet
ings for some time despite the fact
so many of its members are away
working on Government jobs. The
Il -
tuition to change the meeting of the
General Convention from every two
years to every four years was adopt
ed by vote of seventy-five to two.
This change will mean the saving
of almost 100000 every two years
if the organization in general votes
in favor of it. The new. wage scale
and working rules were finally
adopted and after they are ratified
by the Building Trades Council, they
will be turned over to the business
manager.
II. NJ. Brooks. business manager
of the Building Trades Council, an
nounces that as soon as the new
scales and working rules for 1918
are turned over to him, he will pre-
sent copies to the different contrac-
deem it a great favor If the en-
ployers would arrange to meet him
and the executive board of the
above council for the purpose OF
getting final action. While this city
has been far behind some others in
the way OF wages, it is gradually
coming to the front, but will still
have to go some to compete with
the following as regards carpenters
wages: Reading, Pa, 60 cents per
hour. forty y-four-hour week, Easton.
Bethlehem, Allentown. Pa. and
Phillipsburg. y. j., 65 cents per
hour. Delaware County District.
Chester, Media and Clifton Heights.
30 cents per hour; York, Pa, scale
in 1917 was 81 cents per hour, ten
hour day, 1918 will be $3.50 per day
and a nine-hour day. The other
branches of the building trades are
practically within the same line of
figures as the above.
The conditions on the various
large jobs, at Philadelphia, Bristol,
Pa; Camden, \. J., and Baltimore,
Nd, have not improved any as yet,
while there is work for hundreds
of men, the housing conditions are
not what they should be, nor enough
of them, so it is advisable for men
to stay away at present except in
some trades, such as riveters, sheet
metal workers, caulkers, and ship
wrights, who are needed badly.
Complete details will be furnish
ed on request, or apply at the office,
211 Locust street, 12-1, 4.3O, $50,
10 P. NJ.
The business manager of the
Building Trades Council wishes to
call attention to the following: That
while there is a large number of
our men in the building trades away
working on the Government jobs,
and quite a number of men from
the different unions in the service
and a still greater number subject
to the draft, and may be called, the
balance are standing ready to do
their bit. At the same time we are
doing our best to keep our home
employers cheerful, by keeping up
the supply of men, but if they (the