Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1919-07-17

the NekOOSa-EdWard Paper Go. rela-
tive to the strike situation in the mills
of the latter:
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION OF
WISCONSIN
Port Edwards, Wisconsin, July II, 1919
Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company,
Port Edwards, Wisconsin.
Attention Mr.. L. Nj. Alexander
Gentlemen The Industrial Com
mission of Wisconsin was advised sew
eral days ago, that your Mills at Ne
koosa and Port Edwards had ceased
operation, due to a general walk out
of your former employees and pursu-
ant TO Section 2394-52 (8) of the stat
utes, the Commission was asked to
make survey of industrial conditions
at Nekoosa and Port Edwards to the
end that an agreement or understand
ing might be arrived at between the
arrangement and it's former employees.
Pursuant to this request, coming to
the Commission on behalf of your for
mer employees, Mr. E. E. Witte and
have given our personal attention to
the subject mater in dispute.
After frequent consultations with
your management and with represen-
tatives of your former EMPLOYEES, it
appears to us that you are willing to
resume work at your mills on the fol-
lowing terms concerning your former
employees and others whom you may
employ, to-Wit:-
Unemployment.
The Company will employ every per-
son who left it's employ June 21st at
the same work and at the same wages
as on the day of the cessation of work,
if they seek re-employment within one
week after the Mills open.
on-DiscriminatiOn.
The Company will maintain an open
shop and will not discriminate against
any employee because he belongs, or
desires to belong to a labor Union, or
on account of attendance at any Trade
Union Conventions.
Committee of Employees
In order to guarantee to every en-
nlovee the right to present any sug-
gestoin, request or complaint, and to
insure justice, maintain tranquility.
promote the common welfare and
create a sympathetic spirit of coop
Grafton; this Company invites its en-
plovees to organize an employees COM
mittee from their own number upon
the resumption of work. How many
employees shall compose this commit
tee, the time of election and the terms
of service, are to be determined by the
employees themselves. In the election,
all employees doing manual labor, and
no other persons, shall have the right
to participate and the vote shall be
by secret ballot, election to be held
at the Pavilion between Port Edwards
and Nekoosa.
The management will deal with the
committee upon all questions of inter-
est to employees, such as wages. hours
of labor, working conditions and griev-
ances. The Company will take up
with this committee, as soon as it is
organized, the questions of the eight
hour day for day workers and of over
time rates, and the organization of
.11,o - 2f
plnvees and the management.
The chairman of the committee of
employees may, at any time, confer
with the manager of the Department
of Industrial Relations and they, or
either of them, may call the commit
fee together at any time that does not
interfere with their regular duties.
Arbitration.
In the event that the Management
and the Employees Committee disa-
gree upon any question, the dispute
shall be referred to the Board of Ar
bitration, whose decision shall be final.
The Board of Arbitration is to be COM
posed of one person selected by the
Management from its staff, of an en-
ployee selected by the, Employees
Committee and of neutral third per-
son chosen by the other two members.
If the two cannot agree within five
days upon the third member. such third
member shall be chosen by the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of Wis
consin. The members of the Board
shall be selected within ten days and
it's decision shall be given within ten
days after the organization of the
board, unless the time is extended by
mutual consent. All decisions of the
Board of Arbitration shall be retroac-
tive from the day when the disagree
ment arose.
Kindly advise me as soon as you can
conveniently do so, whether or not
am, correct in stating the position of
the Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Com
pany. This will be appreciated by the
Industrial Commission and your form
er employees.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) G. P. Hambrecht, Chairman