The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-13
FEDERATION NOT UNION"

FEDERATION NOT UNION" Professors Pogue and Smith both deny that the federation of teachers will ir any sense be union or that teach CTS strike is contemplated. The Ameri- can Fedora ion of Teachers has non. strike clause in it's constitution. and though affiliated with the labor fedora. tion, is not under it's Jurisdiction, accord ing to Professor Smith.
 Steps looking to the organization oi Birmingham teachers were taken as carly as the first week of last month. when a meeting. presided over by Miss Estelle Heazelett, was held, at which a discus sion of salary increases was brought up the matter being finally laid before the board of education.
 / The board on January raised the minimum salary for teachers to s7So a year and the maximum to $1100 a year Although this increased remuneration was admitted by members of the board to be less than the work was actually worth. at the same time it was stated that the financial condition of the city precluded the possibility of any further increase. The board also pointed out that the increase over the minimum of s45o snd-the maximum of $S10 paid in 1918 was a heavy burden on the munich pal treasury and necessitated the bor- iOWiHS VI Tfu,WU Wllll Wnlcn to finance the school situation.
 The teachers are now planning to ask for minimum of s1OOO and a maximum of $500. according to Pro- lessor. Smith. and will request of the citizens cf Birmingham that half of tho proceeds from the proposed five mill tax be devoted to bringing the salaries of teachers up to these fig. ures
 PLANS OF FEDERATION
 Speaking of the plans of the fed eration to so before the people with an appeal for part of the tas>proceeds. Professor Smith said:
 ITO bring teachers salaries to d living basis. and minimum and max simum salary of 5000 to $500, it1will be necessary for the teachers fund to be increased by, from sa50,00o t6 SSoo.oo0. This means that we must make uf!itcd definite appeal to the citizens of Birmingham to vote 2ls or mills of the proposed special tax for teachers salaries.
 The plan calls for annual increases in teachers salaries of from s40c to $500. It provides a minimum of 5000 and maximum of $500. to- be att tained within six years. The max mum In this case, we hope, will be actually attained and not be something forever striyen after and never reached. as is our present maximum for teachers.
 An organization of teachers is nec- essary to work out this programme for definite relief to be presented to Birmingham voters.
 Tn December. 1919. a dozen teachers decided some relief must be found for our teachers. The only relief in sight IS concerted action to present our ap- peal to the voters before the Qpecsal selection on the five mill tax is called by the city commission.
 If We let this chance slip we will have to wait for further Legislation and before that can he secured the number of teachers here will increase sufficiently to absorb all additional revenues for teachers salaries now provided"
 Vice President L. V. Hampton of the American Federation of Teachers at tended the Saturday meeting at the Tutwiler and explained to those pres ent the workings of the organization. He read telegram from Samuel Com pers. president of the American Fed eratioa of Labor, stating that the af-' filiation between the national teach CTS organization and the labor federa- ton was made with the understanding that the latter body had no control over the former and no power to ask for sympathetic aid.