The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-08-15
PRESIDENT COVERT'S OPTIMISTIC
REPORT TO THE TIMBERWORKERS

VanCcmcnt has been so marked that
he has appealed to the International
for an assistant organizer and the
Eureka local is also furnishing an
organizer, which makes a good
team. and we feel sure that there is
no doubt about results.
our organizers in the pine district
Of California are meeting with good
success and 1t is hoped that soon the
eight-hour day can be accomplished
there
The Northwest district is also
gaining in membership and in some
places marked advances in wages
have been accomplished; in many
mills and camps common wages have
advanced to as high as IS and better
per day. There is no doubt about all
coming up TO the $3.50 per day min
imum scale which has been adopted
for that district. Some of the en-
ployers have been slow to raise
wages on the pretense that they We're
still cutting orders which were taken
before the advance in prices, but we
Will not listen TO that excuse much
longer. They cannot play that game
to excess.
The Bloedel- Lumber
Company and the Puget Sound Saw
Mill X Single CO., of BellinEham,
Wash, have started war on our or
ganization. They started il by dis
eliminating against our active mem
bers and later, on July "a, the Bloc
del-Donovan Company discharged
three of our stewards i'm the What
com Lake mill and when a Commit
tee from the crew called at the of
flee to ask what was the matter the
company representatives refused to
consider them in any way and de-
manded that they get out. The
crew took 1t that If there was any,
thing wrong with the three men that
the company would not have hesitat-
ed about talking the matter over to
point out the deficiency, etc. SO they
appealed to their union and a Com
mtttee was again sent to the company
in an effort to accomplish some UNI
derstanding and they were told to
get out; that they refused to deal
with any of them only as individuals,
and that they had nothing to con-
slider with them, and as a result the
crew was called out and the plant
has been closed since. This devel-
oped complications that resulted in
three other mills being closed, a re-
port of which has previously appear
ed. We also have a similar case at
Occur d'Alenc, Idaho, but aside from
these cases we have had very little
difficulty and it is hoped that soon
a settlement can be reached in these
places. However, there will have to
be some change in the attitude of
those employers, for we cannot very
well settle anything or come to any
understanding If they refuse to see
any of their men on the matter. And
If they continue in their present
frame of mind there will be some
loss of large profits this year.
Some of the employing lumber
men of the Northwest are attempt
ing to deceive the public by coming
out with the statement that they are
willing to deal with their men col
lectively through the Loyal Legion
of Loggers and Lumbermen's organ
izatlon. This is the height of de-
ception, for at no time have the men
had an opportunity to negotiate col
lectiVely on anything through that
medium. The most important issue
has been to get sufficient wages to
live upon, vet the Loyal Legion has
provided no opportunity to care for
the emergency and all the advance
that has been granted has come
through the efforts of the union and
in the straight Loyal Legion mills
the men have gotten their raise in
wa go w ilbb tiN llplls llltl dllN Itbtll-
ing against the injustice perpetrated
upon them.
If the .lumbermen will meet us
near on fair ground they
Will have absolutely no trouble and
our members, the employers and the !
public, will be much better off, but
if they are going to force us back to |
the primitive age and attempt to !
make slaves out of us the time will |
never come when they will have |
peace, for the workmen are to much |
at this day and time to |
allow them to take our very life !
blood.
So I appeal 10 all members to
stand by your rights to organize and |
bargain collectively, knowing that If |
we weaken now when conditions are |
so favorable that it will be "A long |
life of despair and degradation. |
Everyone must organize and stand
solidly together.