The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-05-17
CABINET MAKERS .
ANSWER: 0S7RAhI
Federated Trades Assembly Ac.
cepts Statement, Requests
Papers to Publish It.

At the regular meeting of the Fed
Grated Trades assembly held at Owls
hall last Friday evening delegate John
A. johnson of the Cabinet Makers
and Millmen's union presented a
statement giving the unions answer
to the statement made by the Duluth
Show Case company. The delegates
promptly voted that the daily papers
be requested to publish the state
ment in behalf of the assembly. It is
as follows: ,..,s1,iss
Story Of the Case.
THE union appointed committee
to draft a new wage and hour scale
and when the same had been complet-
ed it was submitted to the manage
ment of all the woodworking factories
of thc city. Mr.. Ostram on finding
that one of his employees names ap-
peared on the committee, promptly
discharged him for cause, so he states
This man swears he had not touched
liquor for at least three months, and
in the opinion Of the union members,
Mr.. Ostram Is simply hiding behind
clumsy subterfuge. Why didn't Mr..
Ostram state to the trades assembly
committee his reasons for discharging
his man? 1t is evident that his think
propensities had not thought Of this
brilliant idea at that time. and not
until the st. Louis county readjust-
ment committee took hold Of the mat
ter did his faculties respond suffi-
GENTLY SO that he could make any
statement whatever. His eleventh hour
statement and his STOPPING to attack
the character of one Of his employees
in order to bolster up public opinion
is, in the minds Of all just thinking
men, sure indication Of guilty
conscience.
Status of Other Workers.
"Mr. Ostram further states that the
majority of his employees are satisfied
with their working conditions. True
enough: the company may have 40
men on its payrolls. but only IA OF
these are cabinet makers. and these
are the backbone of the plant. With
out these skilled workers. the compa-
ny could not manufacture any prod
ucts: therefore his statement that the
majority of his employees are satisfied
Is misleading. All of the cabinet
makers were unionized and stood SOL
idly behind the new wage scale as
drafted by a committee from the
union.
1.-The cabinet makers employed by
Mr.. Ostram did not threaten to go
on strike when this new scale was
submitted: they merely asked that he
meet with committee from the
union and talk over a proposition. At
that time Mr.. Ostram made the state
ment that during the war he had once
abided by the decision of the state
arbitration board, but now that the
war was over, he refused to use SIM
liar methods; therefore admitting
that had he acted as at present dur
ing the war he would have thought
himself disloyal; but now that the
war is over, he need not fear any
charge of disloyalty, as. in his opinion,
his serfs are not to be considered any
way, and their interests and welfare
have nothing in common with the
welfare of the city and the country.
Czar-Ldke Attitude.
mr. Ostrann further stated to men,
bers of the union that the company
could we'll afford to comply with the
new scale, but that he would be
damned if he would let any Of his
employees make any suggestions what
ever regarding the conducting Of the
business. In We olden days the same
impression prevailed among the mas
tiers; the serfs did not dare say any,
thing regarding matters pertaining to
their welfare. neither did the slaves
that were bought in the open market
previous to the Civil war. His state
ment that the company lost $4,000
last year may be true, but the fact
that he admitted that the company
could comply with the new scale Ia
proof positive that the company is
now making money. and in the opin-
ion Of right-thinking people they
could make very much more If they
would discard their antiquated ideas
and think along modern lines. For
instance, It might be we'll for the
management Of the company and 9TH
er employers who feel inclined to
think that labor is a commodity that
can be bought in the open market, to
take note of the labor sections in the
peace treaty which will be concluded
IN Europe very soon"
-N
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