Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-31

To enforce demands for wage
scale Of 81 an hour for all union In
side electricians, the prospects today
were that about sixty employees OF
three contracting firms of this city
would 60 on strike Thursday morn
ing. Working under q scale calling
for IS cents an hour, which expires
April I, the men made demands late
in December for an increase April i
to 81 an hour. This the contractors
have refused, on the ground that such
wage Is out Of proportion to the re-
turns OF the business and that 1t ID
higher than the wage for like work In
other cities of Iowa.
The shops affected are those OF the
Marshall Electric Company, the Elec-
trio Supply Company, and NJ. j..
Boughton. One contractor said that
a walk out woulud mean open shop
The contractors it is said are resolved
on this course, not because of any
antagonism to the union. but because
1t is Impossible to pay the wage asked
and get a profit on the mems work.
What Men Are Actually Paid.
Altho the scale which expires to-
morrow calls for a wage of IS cents
an hour, the contractors have ad-
vanced the wage to So cents an hour
for the bette. help and Is cents an
houur for OF u 8, and claim to be
willing to advance all the men who
show ability to earn the higher wage.
The men demand a minimum wage
of 81 an hour. which, the contractors
assert, few If any now employed can
earn. The contractors asked for a
contract on q basis of Is cents an
hour, with those capable Of earning
men have refused to consider. Con-
ferences between the contractors and
the men have been in progress since
December, the last meeting being held
at o'clock Monday afternoon.
Outside Men Get More.
Much of the business done by the
contractors is outside the city and on
ular pay and their board and room
additional.
For instance, men in the employ Of
the Marshall Electric company. who
have been on jobs in the Oskaloosa
territory, where the scale is so cents
an hour. have received Is and 81
cents an hour, and in addition their
board and room was paid by the COM
pany.
At Mondays meeting the contrac-
tors put up to the men the question
Of whether they had received fair
treatment, with good working oondi-
lions and pay proportionate to the
labor rendered, and according to the
contractors no employe had any COM
plant to offer.
Scale In otf,er Cities.
According to Earl N. Peak. manager
Of the Marshall Electric Company. the
scale paid in other Iowa cities. as
shown at the last meeting Of electri-
cal contractors. at Des Moines, is as
follows:
Ottumwa, rs cents, with contract
running to July /: Dubuque, T71s
cents with contract running to July
4: Waterloo, Is cents: Burlington,
so to 70 cents; Des Moines. s71s cents
with contract running another year;
Oskaloosa, so cents; Muscatine, 50
cents.
Mr.. Peak stated that he had al
ways employed Marshalltown men
except when it was necessary to put
on extra help and it could not be Sc
cured here.
Determine Action Tonight.
In the absence from the city OF
the president Of the inside electri-
clans local, Warren 3. Hassler, en-
ployed at the Marshall Eectric Com
pany and secretary Of the local, stat
ed that no decision as to whether the
men would strike Thursday would be
taken until tonight when meeting
would be held.
He said there was little to say ex-
cept that it was up to the men to
determine their course should the
contractors remain firm in their de-
not to meet the demands.
He intimated they would insist on the
demands as made but said he could
not speak for the men as body and
did not know just what action would