The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-02
no D|STURBlIg[S
TO FOLLOW CHANGE
Turning Over Of Shipyard Interests
Not 70 Interfere With Wage
scale.

Washington April s0.--,The turn
! ing over the private interests Of the
various shipyards engaged in the con
| struction OK merchant vessels, under
the newly announced policy Of the
Emergency Fleet corporation, will not
occasion any labor disturbance. accord
ing to officials OF the American Fed :
GRAFTON Of Labor
1t was learned that by the end OF
the week there will have been com
pleted the last of a series OF agree
ments between the shipyard workers
and private shipbuilding companies,
which will preserve until October /,
the existing wage scales and condi-
ttions OF labor In every shipyard In the
| United States
Between now and October 1. boards
comprising an equal number of rep
| resentatives OF both employers and
employees will make a study OF con-
ditions and determine upon new wage
scales and conditions OF labor TO be-
come operative when the present ar.
rangements expire.
/ Whether there will be any changes
in the MISREPRESENTATION OF wages
longer hours or different working
oSAltAdi Ill uGpSHu upon uEfei-
oprnents in the shipbuildinx situation,
the labor heads said. Their opinion,
however, Is that there Will be necessity
for material changes. which will result
10 the ~sadvantagc OF the workers.
There Is no danger Of the Elmer
gency Fleet corporations plan for the
disposal OF the yards working out to
our disadvantages" said James O'Con-
nell. president OF the metal trades de-
yt4sv ~fv,%, - ~ H.
of Labor. The workmen's interests
will be protected by arrangements
with all the shipbuilding concerns
guaranteeing that there will be no
changes in wages. hours or conditions
of employment until October L."
These agreements, said Mr.. O'Con
nell. are based on the awards of the
shipbuilding labor adjustment board.
commonly known as the Macy board.
They have resulted from conferences
between representatives Of the workers
and shipyard companies. lasting over
the last three months. Direct negotia-
tons were had with the Emergency
Fleet corporation for the yards 1t
operates. and the corporation approx
ed the arrangements with the private
ly.-owned plants.
Contracts already have ben COM
pleted with The builders of the Great
Lakes d1Strlct and the Pacific coast.
On Wednesday of this week renre-
sentatiscs OF the workers and officials
of the Atlantic Coast Shipbuiiding as
ISOLATION. acting for all the yards on
the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, win meet
in Philadelphia to complete the final
agreement. There are no differences
10 delay the progress OF this confer
ence and It is hoped to have the con-
tracts signed by Thursday night.
Thcse.are the arrangements which are
effective until October.
We are now creating three joint
boards of ten members each, Ave from
the employers and five from the EN-
nloyes organizations" said Mr.. OCon-
nell. These boards viii meet between
now and October ! ana arrange for the
drafting OF new agreements to take the
place OF the present contracts when
they expire. one OF these boards will
handle the Atlantic and Gulf coast
yards; another will! look after the
Great Lakes and the third will have
charge OF the Pacific coast"
The Great Lakes board will meet in
Cleveland on May ! to perfect an or
ganization and adopt the program il il
TO follow in woGking out the details
OF the new agreement. The other two
boards are expected TO hold their pre-
liminary meetings shortly thereafter.