The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-09-26
CENTRAL
LABOR COUNCIL
Wednesday, Sept. "a, 1919.


Credentials were presented by
II. A. Franz and A. Rehnberg, of
the Electrical Workers, and by Mrs.
Alice Ferrell, Mrs. Julia Williaford
and Miss Eva Book, of the Cannery
Workers No. 1876. The creden-
tials were received.
\ communication was received
saying that the communication from
the Council to the Governor had
been referred to the Labor Commits
sioner.
A motion to appoint a committee
of three to investigate charges
against President j. B. Moncur of
alleged improper conduct in rela
tion to the Cannery Workers trou-
BILE was superseded by a motion,
which passed, to suspend the rules
and act on the charges at this meet
ing.
Bro. Moncur quit the chair and
Delegate Pilon was called to pre-
side.
Statements of delegates support
ing the charges were made; also a
statement by the accused.
Delegate Ferrell, of the Cannery
Workers took the floor and narrat-
ed the story of the strike. She told
of the abominable sanitary condi-
tions existing at the cannery; of
the discomfort imposed upon the
workers (further set forth in reso-
lutions printed below; of the mis-
cradle, paltry pay received; of their
efforts to persuade the C2nnery Of
ficials to increase their pay, and of
the strike caused by conditions
which could no longer be endured
by free human beings. She then
mentioned the Malone letter and
declared the charges presented
against President Moncur were
true.
Several delegates engaged in
time-killing efforts at oratory, and
others felt called upon to make per-
sonal explanations.
A motion was made to appoint a
committee of three to go with Pres
ident Moncur to Mr.. Malone, who,
Moncur said, would acknowledge he
had agreed to sign the frame of an
agreement if the Cannery Workers
agreed to it. An amendment to
the motion providing that the COM
mittee be elected prevailed, and the
following delegates were elected:
Delegates Fortson, Breslin and
Michel.
Following is the gist of the
agreement Mr.. Malone was asked to
sign:
Minimum wage of 30c per hour,
other scales to remain the same.
Sanitary conditions to be i'm
proved.
No discrimination account of
strike.
No objection to girls joining the
union.
Cannery to resume operations
under the personal management of
Mr., Malone.
This outline of an agreement was
signed by President Moncur and
Delegate G. j. Richter.
1t was understood that the Can
merry Workers, delegates could ac-
company the committee to call upon
Mr.. Malone, if they so desired.
Bro. Nash, of the Seattle Retail
Clerks, addressed the Council on the
agreement presented by the Clerks
to the Merchants The remarks
were full of force and fire. He
urged the Clerks to stand firm for
6 O'Clock losing and the wages
demanded, and made an elo-
quent appeal to organized labor to
stand back of the Clerks. He urged
that five prominent merchants be
asked to appear before the Council
and say why they refused to sign
tn agreement with the Clerks.
The following preamble and reso-
luton were introduced and en-
dorsed:
WHEREAS, The women worked
all day with wet feet, due to i'm
proper drainage; and worked in
steam thicker than fog with con-
densed steam dropping from the
ceiling onto the workers; and
WHEREAS, The women were
compelled to wash in the vats be-
cause only one wash basin was pro-
vided; and
WHEREAS, The working condi-
tions do not conform to the State
sanitation laws in many other in
stances; and
WHEREAS, The wage of 271a