The Denver Jewish news., 1919-12-31
BY ELIAS LIEBERMAN.
(Copyright by |. J. r. b.

n general increase of 30 percent over
| their present wages was set before the
manufacturers December 3rd. by the
Joint Board of the Cloakmakers' I'm
ion of New York.
lAlthO the manufacturers expected
that the Union would make. new de
Inands, they We're not prepared to have
these demands take the form Of re-
quest for a 30 percent increase.
Tuesday, December Bird, was the
date of the first conference between
the Union and the Cloak and Suit
manufacturers Protective Association.
General Manager Morris Zigman OF
the International Ladies' Garment
Workers Union headed the group con-
sisting of the chief leaders of the
Cloakmlkers Union. The Manufac-
turers were represented by their Exc
cutivc Board. headed by NJ. II. Silver
man as Chairman, and L. l.. Steinhart.
Manager.
The Association had little to say at
the first conference. Mr. Silverman
declared that he had come to listen.
But the Union made its position clear
from the start. Its demands, as has
been stated, were for 80 percent in
crease over the minimum which was
settled upon by the last agreement.
signed by the Union and the Associa-
ton.
The Union justified its demands as
follows:
First that the present scale is not
enough for the workers to live upon.
Secondly, that the workers are now
as matter of fact receiving wages
higher than the agreed minimum. and
from that standpoint the manufacture
crs will lose nothing by raising the
minimum scale.
The stand of the Manufacturers ap-
pears to be to refuse the Union any in
crease on the ground that:
First, the agreement signed May
10Th, 1919 is in force, and therefore
the Union is not now entitled to ask
for new increase.
Secondly, the Manufacturers have
taken on their new orders according
to the present wage-scale, and there
fore it is impossible for them to raise
the workers wages at this time.
Thirdly, it is impossible TO raise
prices on goods. because the general
public will not buy at higher prices.
The reply of the. Onion to these ar
guncnts was:
First, the circumstances under which
we are now living are unusual. The
cost of living is going up daily, and
therefore it is not to be expected that
the worker shall follow to the letter
an agreement which was entered into
months ago.
Secondly, the Union states that the
manufacturers knew well that the In
ion would demand an increase in
wages. They were warned more than
once by the Joint Board of the Cloak
Manufacturers should have taken that
fact into consideration when they fixed
the prices on their new orders.
These were the principal arguments
cn both sides, and the general ques-
tion now is: What win be the out
come? Will the Association accede,
or will the Union withdraw its de-
,nands? If the Association does not
yield, will the Union call strike. or
has the Union other means of forcing
the employers to grant its request?
Various rumors are current on this
point. The general opinion. however.
is against "A strike. Under the existing
circumstances strike would react
detrimentally on the whole industry.
From present Indications battle of
statistics will be carried on for
time. Both sides are preparing statis-
tics and each hopes to convince the
other that its own standpoint is the
right one The Union will show by
statistics of the Labor Department that
the cost of living during the past few
months has risen so high that 30
ficient to cover the difference in the
present outlays. The Manufacturers
On the other hand, will attempt to
prove that the Industry cannot afford
to grant such an increase or any in
crease whatsoever.
About six weeks ago, the drug clerks
Of New York made an attempt to Or
caniZe themselves into union. Their
agitation ended by their calling out all
the drug clerks on strike November
9TH. The number of strikers was close
10 5000. The large stores did not suf-
fer thru the strike: most of their clerks
remained at work. The lesser pro-