The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-05-31
IN THE FIELD OF LABOR


have secured wage advances amount
ing to from 81 to 81 a week.
Firemen employed on Swedish
steamships recently received an in
crease of $50 per cent in wages,
Nearly % per cent of the factory
workers in India are employed in cot
ton and spinning and weaving mills.
| The strike of government officials
at Cairo, Egypt, which has been going
on for some time is over and work has
been resumed.
Thousands of teachers are Joining
organized labor, according to officials
| of the American Federation of Labor
and the National Women's Tpde
Union league.
Telephone communication through
out most of New England except Con-
necticut was suspended by strike of
| operators of the New England Tele-
phone and Telegraph company and the
| Providence Telephone company. In
Boston and other cities the operators
| quit work and the wires became dead.
The union demands include pay in
creases and the right of collective bar
gaining.
Three hundred and fifty machinists
at the Book bearing plant, branch of
the Standard Parts company, Cleve-
land, went on strike. The men, origi-
nally struck last October for higher
wages, but returned to work when their
case was appealed to the war labor
board A hearing by an agent of the
board was held two weeks ago and no
decision has been given. The company
at the hearing declared that since it
was not engaged in war work the gov
eminent could no longer take any ac-
ton.
/ The Builders league of MaDn Ia,
j has adopted "a Rewsssoale, of Y to
be paid after April IA, which de-
signed to stabilize" prices of LABOR.
Rather than pay fiat rate I'd all
workmen, regardless of their capabili-
ties, the league now proposes to pay
according to the following sliding
scale: Carpenters, 30 to 60 cents per
hour; brick masons, 40 to go cents;
plasterers, 40 to 60 cents common la
borers, Is to 25 cents. The workers
declare this represents a reduction in
wages, and they are preparing to con-
test the new scale.
Lancashire (Eng.) mills and looms
| i, iC al moi u n
for cotton goods, says the Manchester
correspondent of the London Daily
Mail, which adds that crowds of unem-
ployed demonstrated in front of the
Manchester town hall Mill owners
have been criticized, but the real trou-
BILE, the correspondent says, is that
customers cannot afford to pay the pre-
yailing high charges. Unemployment
in the county is rapidly reaching ell
max. Men are coming out of the army
and are said to be unable to get the
work which was promised them.
Labor troubles are growing at Terre
Haute, Ind. Machinists and black
smiths are striking at American Car
and Foundry company for an eight
hour day, halliday Saturday and
time and one-half for overtime. Two
hundred machinists at the Pennsyl-
vania railroad yards quit work be-
cause a union man was discharged for
failing to work Saturday, and 200
more are expected to walk out. More
than 100 painters and paperhangers
struck, while other building crafts had
ordered strike for May unless in
creased pay is granted by contractors.
The strike of $500 employees OF the
Public Service Railway company,
which tied up trolley service in north
ern New Jersey for four days, was for
mally called off, with both sides claim
ing victory. The terms of settlement,
which were approved by a virtually
unanimous vote of the strikers, provid-
ed that the company treat with any
authorized committee of the Amalga-
mated Association of Street and Elec.
trio Railway Employees of America, at
the same time reserving the right to
treat with any other employees crgan-
ization; that the company's co-cpera-
tive league and collective bargaining
plan, opposed by the men, be With
drawn and that all other points o. dis
pute be submitted to the national war
labor board. The terms were sug-
gested by the wGs labor board.
: Seven Thousand carriers and freight
, handlers went Oh strike at Montreal
. for higher wages, virtually suspendine
vehcular freight traffic on the streets
: The painters and decorators of the city
also struck for 50-hour week and q
wage increase.
| The National Industrial council, sit
! ting in London, was notified by Pre-
J mier Lloyd George that bill was be
ing drafted to carry ont the recommen
! dation of the council for 4S-houI
/ week. The premier added that com
mission also would be set up to give
/ effect to the principle Of a minimum
wage.