The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-20

Difference in Scales Chief Cause of the
Discomfort Among Workers-Balti-
more Men VINO Were Given Sc Day
Want $40.
WASHINGTON, March 20.-The ship
poration are finding it increasingly difficult |
to keep the lid on the shipyard labor sit
uation. The spectre of labor unrest that
has lowered over every move in the ship |
building programme will not be laid
SIX hundred riyeters, caulkers, reamers, |
drillcrs and shippers employed by the
Baltimore Dlydock and Shipbuilding cor
poration are out on strike A telegram
to the emergency fleet corporation said
that the men made no demands and the
company was without any explanation OF
| their course.
| The message stated that it was learned
| from outside sources that they We're dis
! satisfied with the rate of pay and would
not return to work until Judge Gray of
| Wilmington has rendered a decision on
/ llc dtuldilG That tHtN iiiddc o1 llt dtl-
.iustment board for Sl056 a day fer chip
pers and cauIkers and $24 day for a
! gang OF machine riveteIs, consisting OF
| two men and boy.
Judge Gray was one OF those sitting
on the emergency fleet corporation labor
adjustment board in fixing the wage scale
FOR the Chesapeake and Delaware district
The demand is big increase over the
figures allowed by the board
1t is known that there are IumbhAgs
and mutterings in other directions along
the Eastern seaboard and that trouble
over the wage scales in the Southern dis
tricts is threatened. Discomfort is spring
ing up in many quarters in the shipyards
over the rates OF pay fixed by the labor
adjustment board,
As soon as one strike is adjusted trou-
bic comes in another direction. 1t APP
pears under the surface here that this
unrest at bottom is due to dissatisfaction
IF the Eastern workers with wage scales
which are not as high as those on the
Pacific coast. The coast scale Is the high
est in the country. The Chesapeake and
Delaware scale Is not SO high in many re
Spects and the south Atlantic aud Gull
schedule is even lower
The New York schedule which will
soon be announced is expected to bt
higher than that for the Chesapeake ant
Delaware district This IS due it Is said
to local conditions and the fact that tn,
/, coast and the New York district ar,
| highly organized and that wages in equiv
alent employment OUTSIDE the shipyard
b., is higher
: As a result of this situation it seem
that the shipping board will eyentuall
- be driven to fix a national and uniform
! wage scale Officials would be willing I,
.. do this but they fear that if the sout
70 Atlantic and other workers get the Pacifi
scale--it is accepted that no scale could b
!, lowered-it would bring discomfort on tn
l. coast and around New York, where worn
ers would Immediately claim that the
were entitled TO higher pay than men j
sections that did not have to meet tn
IS same living conditions
II Men in Baltimore who are on strik
IS were changed from piece work to mon
80 difficult work and given a daily wag
% around Sc day, which was fixed by ii
- adjustment board They took the pos
Il ton that as they were able to make 81
a day on piece work (this work was ii
easy work on a ship that they shoul
y make SO day.
~ Chairman Hurley has appealed TO
- A. Franklin, president Of the Intern
~ tlonal Union of Boiler Makers, which col
IS trolls many oil the men who are out.
- use his influence to get them bac
- Though the board is being hard prcsst
Tor action to clarity the situation it ii
determined to 90 slow.
The Baltimore company has put Il
matter squarely up to the emergency file
ne corporation, with message to the effe
that the wage question has been handl,
ne and fixed by the government and tn
the hands Of the builders are tie
I'M Officials here, however, have determin
to await developments. A representa-
- OF the fleet corporation has gone to Bal
=, more to attempt to get the men back
The Baltimore concern has three !
steel ships under way and has contraC
at for many others. Fom additional wa
Tor are nearing completion