The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-06-13
STICK TO 8 HOURS
AND RAISE WAGES

Never before in the history of the
United States were there such prom
Using prospects for he people who
toll in the lumberin, industry in all
of its branches, and this is due to
the great changes brought about by
the war. Russia, which formerly
produced approximately forty-eight
per cent of the worlds output Of
lumber products, will supply very
little lumber within the next three
years and this great lack Of pro-
duction will have to come from the
United States, Canada and Sweden.
And coupled with this great lack of
production from Russia we have
the increasing worlds demand for
lumber products, due to the destruc-
ton which swept parts of Europe
during the war and the suspension
of building in most other countries
during the war period. This has
been very noticeable in the United
States and Canada. Naturally build
ing operations have gotten about
three years behind time and this
will result in a great rush for all
building material, which will eX-
tend over at least a two years pc
riod. So it practically guarantees
demand for lumber which will far
exceed any possible production. The
demand is already in excess of the
supply by about ten per cent. And
the requirements will be more ia
vorable than at any time during re-
cent years because of the fact that
all classes and grades will be used.
There will be heavy demand for
common yard stock, which has al
ways before accumulated and con-
stituted dead stock.
I am afraid that the tendency
will be with many of our employ
ers to attempt to increase produc-
ton by running overtime. This
should be fought with all the power
we have, for it is a forerunner of
establishing the 10-hour day again.
They will not hesitate to pay the
time and one-half for the addition
al hours, because the price will GER
tainly warrant it. So we must not
be decoyed by their bride of extra
pay. Stand pat on your s hours and
refuse to work overtime except in
extreme emergency. Make them
put on additional shifts if they
want more production; this will
give work to every one and when
We are all at work we will find that
the competition on the labor mar
ket will soon force wages up and we
will be receiving more money for 8
hours than we would for 10 and
count the overtime pay. This Is
our time to prove that by shorten
ing the hours raises the pay, so
when you know of any one working
overtime do not fail to call their
attention to this fact 1t would be
we'll to have a committee call on the
offending workman and ask him to
be fair. If the employers attempt
to impose upon our 8-hour day it
will be up to us to make a demand
for a substantial increase in wages;
this will place them on a rate
where they can not afford to pay
time and one-half for overtime and
really we would be justified in this
position at this time, because of so
many of them already infringing
upon our hours.
Prices on lumber and shingles
have gone abnormally high and the
indications are that the sky will be
the limit, so when the mills have
cut out their present orders the
new business will warrant substan-
tial increases in wages, and it is up
to US to get together on an increase
in wages and this should not take
place later than July LIST. We have
got to make up for the sacrifice
made on our wages during the war
when living expenses were so high.
We should remember how cunning
ly wages in our industry were kept
below those paid in other indus
tries at that time, and at the same