The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-20
CONFERENCE PUTS
END TO FRICTION
Details of Agreement Between
Grand Trunk Railway and
Employees.
WAGE RAISE SATISFACTORY
Amounts to an Average Advance OF
$500 Per ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Made Not to Be Disturbed for
Year-Other Labor News.

/
nine-hour working day and time and
n half for overtime and work on legal
holidays, have been granted employees
| in the mechanical departments of the
Grand Trunk railway. The agreement.
drawn up between the Federated
Trades and the company, came after q
weeks session by the board of concilia-
ton and investigation. Other conces-
sions granted by the railroad are !:
Grievances committees are to be es-
tablished in shops; employees are not
to be laid off in order to equalize over
time and when reduction Of expenses
is necessary an eight-hour day shall
first be resorted to and then reduc-
ton of force along lines of seniority.
The agreement, beginning March /,
runs for year. After that time 1t
can be changed upon 30 days notice.
The company's annual payroll will be
increased $750,00O.
President Gompers Of the American
Federation Of Labor, in prepared
statement made an appeal against any
CONSUMPTION of labor. He reviewed the
loyal wartime services Of the American
workingman and expressed the hope
that nothing be done "to hamper the
constructive work of the organized eff
fort of free workers who have been
rendering indispensable service and
who will stand faithful until victory
comes"
The I. W. W. planned a general
strike to oppose industrial conscrip-
ton, according to a resolution taken
from one of the Is I. w. WIS arrested
in a raid February 8, given q prelim-
mary hearing before a United States
commissioner at st. Louis. The reso-
luton was adopted in Seattle Novem-
Der %, 1917, by Industrial Unions Nos.
700, 537, 500, 400 and 1875. Nick PIANO.
vich and John Hingeman were adj
Judged alien enemies and will be in
termed during the war. The others
were held for the grand jury under
$500 bonds each.
The ship carpenters who struck re-
turned to work, with the understand
ing that their wages would be raised
to at least the rate paid carpenters in
New York, which is $3.50 day. This
action was ordered by the officials OF
the United Brotherhood Of Carpenters
and Joiners of America, following the
receipt of telegram from President
Wilson asking If the carpenters intend
ed to cooperate with the government
or obstruct its war work, the telegram
also implying that the adjustment
committee of the shipping board would
be willing to treat with the men and
establish a uniform rate for all Ship
building carpenters on the Atlantic
coast.
photographers employed on the Mexi.
can national railways are seeking rec
ognition Of their union, better work
ing conditions and increased wages
The men ask recognition of their or
ganization, authority to enforce rules
adopted at a convention of their or.
der last year, and eight hours pay for
the seven hours work at night.
OF II agencies reporting to the bu'
reau Of labor statistics, only two
Bridgeport and New Haven, Conn.,, said
there was any shortage of labor. Bos-
ton, Providence, New York, Philadel-
phia. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit
Chicago, Milwaukee, and st. Paul re-
ported sufficient labor for ell present
purposes.
Negro women are arriving at Little
Rock, Ark, from all parts of the South
and North, DOMINIC boomers and go
ing to work in the lumber mills. The
women receive $1.5O and 50 day for
nine hours work. They "pick out
feed the plane, work in the dry kiln
and do other light work around the
mill.
Woman section hands employed by
the Lehigh Valley railroad on the
Shenandoah-Lost Creek branch, went
on strike. They receive $1.SO for q
nine-hour day and they are striking
for So. They will be organized by a
union organizer.
Two thousand miners of the Tennes.
see Coal, Iron and Railroad com
pany went on strike at Birmingham
Ala, and eight coal mines became idle
Miners contend the terms of their wage
agreement are not being lived up to by
the company.
One hundred switchmen walked out
on the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern in Gary
Ind. The company had restored tive
switchmen who refused to participate
in the September strike.
First results of the wage settlement
in the shipbuilding industry were
seen by officers Of the United States
employment service when more. than
1000 men registered as shipbuilders at
the New York city office.
Boot repairers are so scarce In Nun
eaton, England, that the board OF
guardians has decided to establish q
boot repairing department in the work
house.
An official report Of the British triple
labor alliance just issued shows