The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-06
II.
GENERAL LABOR NEWS


turing plants, employing over 100000
people.
The Nova Scotia stipyards still are
working to capacity and shipbuilders
feel that the demand for new vessels
Is good for at least two years.
Hiltonville Prime Western Spelter
company, st. Clairsville, o., raised the
wages of its employees 80 cents day,
following a cut of that amount last
April.
An order directing telephone strik-
ers of the Pacific coast to report back
for duty was sent out, international of
ficers of the Electrical Brotherhood an
nounced.
The Lancashire (Eng) miners at a
mass meeting protested against the six
shillings advance in the price of coal
and indorsed the action of their lead
ers. They adopted resolution, how
ever, to return to work.
The proposed international demon
strative strike was not put into effect
on any considerable scale in any of the
large cities of Italy. In the cities flags
were kept flying in movement of pro-
test against the strike.
A strike of $50 men employed in the
retort plant Of the Wisconsin Gas and
Electric company, Racine, Wis, caused
A gas famine in Racine, Cudahy and
South Milwaukee. which are supplied
with gas from the Racine plant.
The Brotherhood of Railroad Sig
nalmen in annual convention reelected
officers as follows: President, D. w.
Helt, Shamokin, Pa; first vice presi-
dent, D. c. Cone, New York; secretary
treasurer, T. A. Austin, North Kings
Vile, 0.
Organization of form of union of
Ohio state industrial commission en-
ployees through delegates from the va
rfous bureaus was effected at a meet
ing, and plans are under consideration
for utilization with the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
The Fall River Cotton Manufactur-
ers' association issued a statement "to
the people of Fall River and textile
operatives in particular" declaring it's
intention of shutting down all the mills
in the city should the DOffers' union
call q strike at any mill of the associ-
alton failing to comply with the union
demand for readjustment of the
wage rate.
The Canadian house of commons, in
the closing hours of the session, voted
S1C.00O0O0 for special bonus allow
ances to the government employees Of
Canada. The bonuses will apply to
all salaries up to $4,000, beginning with
$500 to the head of family whose sal
ary is less than $1,000 and grading
downward to 5000 on salaries of $4,000.
To single persons the bonuses are to be
on a lower scale.
An adjustment has been reached be-
tween the Reading Iron company and
1000 iron workers in its six plants at
Reading and Danville, thus averting a
lengthy strike and starting the wheels
and furnaces in many plants owned by
other corporations. The company Of
fered compromise Of $1075 as the
pudding tonnage rate, with a 60-day
sliding scale arrangement and this was
accepted. The company first offered
S1O.5O and the men had demanded
$10921a.
Amalgamation of the international
Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop
Forgers and Helpers and the 1nterna-
tional Brotherhood of Drop Forge
Trades was completed at conference
IF international officials of both organ
izations. The Amalgamated organiza-
ton will be known as the Internation-
al brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop
Forgers and Helpers and affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor. 1t
was stated that each organization has
about $1,000 members,
The city council of Salisbury, N. c.,
has granted substantial increases of
salary to police officers. Patrolmen
were advanced to 500 month, the
captain to S115, and the chief to $135
Salisbury is a town of less than TO-
600 population.
Delegations of laborers at the Steel
ton plant of the Bethlehem Steel com
pany, Harrisburg, Pa, presented to F.
A. Robbins, Jr., general manager of the
plant, demands for an increase in the
wage scale. Mr.. Robbins returned all
petitions with the reply that 1t would
be impossible to meet the demands OF
the men.