The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-09-27

ers of Seattle made effective the
decision of the Metal Trades Coun-
Gil not to work Saturday afternoon
unless the managers of the yards
agreed to pay double time for Sat
urday afternoon work.
Employers say they have received
instructions from the United States
shipping board to discontinue pay
ment of the double time for Satur-
day afternoon work, pending the
handing down of the Macy Adjust
ment Board decision, now under ad-
visement in Washington and delayed
at the Presidents request.
Here comes the question whether
the President requested that double
time for Saturday afternoon be sus-
pended until the Adjustment Board
handed down it's decision. There
are those who think the President
requested delay for reasons known
to himself and the board but said
nothing about "suspending" the
agreement with the Metal Trades to
continue the overtime payment until
decision was rendered. The work
ers have been patiently waiting since
August / and their patience is ex-
hausted.
The Metal Trades Council issued
the following statement for publi-
cation:
"In accordance with the wish of
Messrs. Piez and Schwab while in
Seattle that no working conditions
at that time existing be changed,
pending the decision of the Wage
Adjustment Board, the Metal Trades
Council voted not to work on Sat-
urday afternoons unless paid for
at the rate of overtime, pending the
delayed decision of the Shipbuilding
Labor Adjustment Board.
Men Are Waiting
"The men have been and are pa
tiently waiting since August 1, and
the board promised their decision on
Labor Day and again set it for
September Is, and up to the present
time we have no definite informa-
tion as to when the decision will be
made"
The Seattle Daily Union Record of
last Saturday says:
"Under their old agreement, ex-
piring on August /, the unions had
a 44-hour week, or Saturday half
holidays, with double pay for the
half day work. This was for four
months of the year. The four
month period expired last Saturday.
The unions take the stand that until |
the Adjustment Board hands down
it's decision on the new agreement,
which contains a demand for a year.
round 44-hour week, they will con-
slider that shipping board officials,
Piez and Schwab. in statements made
while visiting this city, meant that
the 44-hour week was to be con-
tinued until the question is finally
and definitely settled by the decision
Of the Labor Adjustment Board.
"As the unions statement indi-
Gates, the men are very impatient
at the long delay of the Adjustment
Board in rendering its decision, al
though any increase in pay granted
by that board will be retroactive to
August 1, and the men will ulti-
mately get back pay if their pres
ent wage scale is raised.
Several of the largest shipbuild-
ing employers stated to the Union
Record this morning that they are
powerless to grant the overtime for
Saturday afternoon, as they have re-
ceived instructions from the Ship
ping Board to discontinue paying it
until the Macy decision is in their
hands authorizing it. They say the
only result of the Metal Trades ac-
tion can be the shutting down of
the yards on Saturday afternoons un-
til word has been received from
Washington either making the year
round 44-hour week a part of the
new agreement or authorizing them
to pay overtime"