The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-04-12
DULUTH PAINTERS ARE
FORCED TO walk OUT
CONTINUED From Page ~

that it was the belief of the employ
ing painters that our committee had
no power to consider their PROPOSE
ton of February 7. and their meeting
closed awaiting our further action.
Union Always Willing.
Upon the receipt of this commun-
ication we notified the master paint
ers' committee that we were willing
to meet with them again. So a joint
meeting was held March 27 at which
all sections to our proposed agree
ment were agreed to. except three.
These sections provided for double
time for overtime. the increased wage
scale and requiring that no contractor
shall compel his employees to do less
work than his contract calls for.
"Our object in demanding double
time for overtime is in line with that
Of other unions and is made for: the
purpose of discouraging overtime
work, and thereby creating more en-
ployment for painters returning from
the war;" of which there are many.
"Our reason for demanding a mini
mum wage Of 80 cents an hour has
been set forth. It is impossible to
accept the master painters offer of
20 cents an hour. Painters are re-
ceiving 80 cents in Superior and in
surrounding cities they are being paid
considerably more than 70 cents an
hour. In the first place, we have to
live. Our families are entitled to food,
clothing and shelter. We have our
own problems to solve and we can
not solve them unless we are paid a
wage that will insure for us and our
families a decent living. They cry out
for these things and they look to us
to get them.
It's a Strong Statement.
1T may appear strange that we
should demand of master painters that
no employer shall require his men to
do less work than their contract calls
for, but it is more strange to US that
they should object to such a. clause
in their agreement. We know the
painting business, and we know the
tricks Of the trade. It has become a
habit with master painters who were
under contract to give a job three and
four coats of paint to ask their en-
p1oyes to do the job on two and three
coats, thereby cheating the owner of
one and two coats. And later if the
fraudulent practice is discovered they
put the blame on members of the
union. If there is any doubt about the
accuracy of this statement. we are
In position to furnish the proof.
Arbitration Proposed.
ION March 20 a special meeting of
the union was held. The committee
reported that the matter was at a.
standstill and there did not seem to
be any possibility of reaching an
agreements The union thereupon in
structed its committee to propose ar
bltration to- the master painters as
to the three sections Of the proposed
agreement that were in dispute.
Mayor Magney was requested to
assist in bringing about arbitration.
A conference was held at which the
| sections in dispute were taken up. We
| continued to disagree and Mayor Mag
ney proposed that these matters be
submitted to arbitration. The master
painters would not consent to this
! but made a counter proposition to
| reopen the whole agreement and to
throw all our shop rules and wage
| demands into the case as they were
presented by the union in January.
They also wanted the arbitrator ap-
pointed by the judges Of the district
court.
Strike Was Postponed.
THE uuion voted to postpone CALL
| ing the strike on April 1. and on the
following day notified the master
! painters that it was willing to SUBJ
| nit the sections in dispute to arbi-
} tration, but 1t would not agree to
| arb1trate on concessions already made.
| 1t appointed two arbitrators and
| awaited the acceptance of the master
| painters
Another meeting with the master
| painters was then held on April S.
They selected two arbitrators, but they
insisted that they be permitted to
withdraw their previous offer of 70
cents an hour. and that the wage
question should be arbitrated from 60
cents up. We could not agree to this
proposition. The master painters
would not yield from theirs, and as
a consequence the strike was called
to become effective Friday morning.
Queer Influences Busy.
| From this statement the public can
see that we have done everything
within our power to head off strike.
We don't want a strike; we desire to
cooperate with others to encourage
building in Duluth. but there was
nothing left for us to do because of
the fact that the issue has been forced
upon us by the unyielding attitude of
the master painters.
! 1--WE have alwaye succeeded in the
past in dealing with the master paint
ers, but there seems to be some out
side Influence at work again. US.
This influence, whatever it is, holds a
club over our employers and refuses
to permit them to pay a living wage
to their employees.
| "Over in Superior it is different.
The master painters over there would
not pay the new union scale, but the
Superior Real Estate exchange rec
ognized the justice of the claims of
the painters and it is hiring them d.
rect at 80 cents an hour. But that is
in Superior and not in Duluth. Would
that we had some of the Superior