The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-06-17
FACTORY GIRLS STATEMENT.
They Expect More Wages But Other Con
ditions Are Satisfactory.

We, the operators of the uber-Ryt'
tenberg shirt factory, having read the
statements that have been issued in the
Barre Daily Times, feel that it is our
4 duty TO advise the public OF the condi-
tions existing in our shop at the present
time.
ments printed in the paper that our
manager, Mr.. Luckenbill, was not treat
/ ing us fair and square. Far be it from
such We girls are all working under
better conditions all around than we ever
/ have had and only has such been the
case since our new manager came.
| He did, upon his arrival here, give the
girls raise and he made the statement
at that time that he had given us all the
company would allow him to.
We have worked for these prices since
he came here and now the old girls, who
have had nearly a years experience, feel
that now we are earning enough to de-
serve a raise and we are confident we
viii get it.
We organized union, not to start
trouble or 20 strike. but merely to keep
the girls together and work together as
body OF course we intend TO ask for
more pay but we do not think that we
will get anything at all from the com
pany after the statements that have been
given out in The Times.
A new operator, we understand, can
not expect the pay that girl with a
years experience gets, as that of course
would be unfair to the old operators
We do not expect the pay the New
York operators get; however, we do ex
peet a decent living wage
Another thing we girls feel it is neees-
sary to contradict, is the fact that since
our new manager came, there has not
been new operator that has received
Sl.s5. Every operator ia given s. the I
first week whether she earns it or not /
Another statement was, no girl had ever 1
earned over 50 a week. That is not true,
for the old operators average eight, nine,
ten and as high as twelve dollars a week
and the girls told the organizer that
when he was here in Barre.
In one Of the papers the fact was men
toned that three managers had come and
gone but there has been only two that A
have left and the third one, if the girls
have anything to say about it, is to re-
main here a long time yet.
Another thing we would like to have
ne Hti1itf tAiidtISld4lQ Is. We were uQlHZ
work the first six months
The shop was running and had we had
The proper management aud instructions
when starting in, we could have made a
good deal more money than we did, for it |
stands to reason that a girl could handle ]
,otton goods easier than she could flannel
goods. II
Anyone would Judge from what was
int I in &aFItrJa,esc that
hirts we make now are iammed into |
,ox and shipped away without either
olding or inspecting. They all have to !
70 through this process and never before
las the shop turned out such neat and Il
nicely made shirts,
Since Mr. Luckenbill came here he has
made our hours shorter. Don't you sup
'ose we appreciate that, and everything !
s run Systematically.
When Saturday comes we get our pay; (
% such excuses as we used to hear,
We have our manager and a bookkeep- (
r now and there is not a girl that would I
FORK under a forelady again. We have 1
ad experience enough along that line.
We have had no trouble whatsoever in !:
he shop and it is the people who have I;
o right at all that are causing all of the !.
rouble We hope this will be the last !:
t it. I:
At our meetings before now, we have !;
flowed certain ladies to be present who !:
re not now employed in the factory, but {:
GREATER their presence is not requested I;
nd they will not be admitted by the /:
,rgeant alarms. Z;
We hope we have made clear to the x
lblic that it is not the manager that /:
q a re dissatisfied with nor did we form -
union to get a new manager and we
re positive if we go at things in the
ght way we will get our raise and show ::
le Barre people that the girls have got |
little push behind them |
President, Miss Amanda Meaker,
Vice President, Miss Irene Mute,
Corresponding Secretary, Miss Edna
ossi
Treasurer Miss Julia Bzzozero,
Sergeant-at Miss Gertrude Nc
nv and the oDerators of the Tauhar- |