The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-09-24


the employees, working for the Star
Peerless Wall Paper Co. walked out
on strike during the noon hour OF
the 18th in support of the discharged
employees, and to assert their rights
as American citizens. The following
day others joined them until over
200 of the 240 employees of this
company were either discharged or
on strike. Upon October 10, rep
resentative of the Department of
Labor was sent from Washington to
adjust the grievance. The employees
met him and agreed to have him
adjust the difficulty by presenting
the demand that all employees be re-
Iinstated in their former positions,
that the company officials show no
discrimination between union and non
union employees, that the company
confer with committee of employees
regarding hours of labor, wage scales
and working conditions and that those
discharged be paid for time lost
from time of discharge to reinstate-
ment. The government representa-
tive then met Mr.. Goodson the gen
eral manager and Mr.. Flavin the
vice president of the company at the
office of the mills. He explained to
them the position taken by the en-
ployes, he also explained to them
| the policies of war board the re-
quest of President Wilson for all
employers, whether engaged in es-
sential war work or non-essential
work, to work in harmony with those
policies. He was told by Mr.. Good
son that not only would the COM
pany refuse to employ any union
employees, but also that he would
refuse to deal or confer with any
committee representing employees.
That he personally and the company
were opposed to the policy of col
lective bargaining and would only
deal with the employees individually,
he further stated that they were non
essential manufacturers, that the
government would be the loosers as
they were paying and would continue
to pay large excess profit taxes.
Mr. Flavin at this demurred some
what, stating that possibly they
might confer with a committee of
employees, but when requested by
the government representative to
either write him letter to that eff
feet or authorize him to so inform
the employees at meeting to be held
that afternoon. Mr.. Flavin refused
and said he could do nothing what
soever until he had consulted Mr..
Kelley the president of the company.
He refused to consult Mr.. Kelley over
the phone but only when he saw him
the following day, as result
meeting was agreed upon by Mr..
Flavin and the government represen-
tative the following Friday at Mr..
meeting Friday 18th, the government
representative was told that Mr..
Kelley and the Company did not care
rap for the War Board policies or
snap Of the finger for the Presi
dent Wilson request at the time the
policy was adopted. That they pro-
posed to run the mills as they pleased
and if they could not they would
nail up the doors and windows. AS
a result the concilliator of the gov
eminent was compelled to report
failure of a settlement. These are
the men who under the guise of pa
triotsm and Icing statements re-
garding the patriotism of their for
mer employees and others of this city,
show their unpatriotism spirit by de-
flying the government to govern
ment representative. One of the
policies of the War Board, and one
of the principal ones, which the COM
pany objects to, is equal pay to wo-
men and men for equal work Girls
hnx ino fDv tA
per week on the same work, which
boys and men were doing and re-
ceiving from $500 to $500 per
week. Since the walkout they are
advertising as paying the girls from
$1,000 up when up to last Saturday
it was only $500 to start.
To show the Public how much they
care for the girls they have called
many of their high salaried sales
men in, men who get, or at least
should get 100000 per year and
expenses, to do the same work they
have been paying those girls and
men such meager wages. Surely
the paperhangers will refuse to hang
his goods, nor will patriotic men or
women purchase from those who
so defiently snap their fingers at
the request of the Representatives of
the U. S Government To show his
autocratic power, Mr.. Goodson dis
charged bewteen Is and 20 clerks and
stenographers who asserted their
honor by refusing to leave their
desks to take the places of the wo-
men and girls who were working
in the factory. Industrial autocracy
is the ideal of the Star-Peerless Co.
Kelley is the Kaiser; Goodson is the
Prime Minister. The few color
mixers and printers left and the
statesmen assembled in the mills to
act as strike breakers the German
propagandists and companies dupes.
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and en-
tered into September LIST, 1920, be-
tween Local Union No. 339, of the
Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators
and Paperhangers of America, of Ev-
erett, Washington, party of the first
part, and
Wallpaper Dealer in Everett, Wash
ington, party of the second part.
WITNESSETH, that the party of
the second part agrees hereafter not
to buy non-union made wallpaper,
but to purchase only union made
wall paper, either bearing the Union
Label or the name of any of the
unionized factories appearing on the
list furnished by the Allied Wallpa-
per Trades of the United States, af-
filiated with the A. F. of L., which
list will be furnished to all parties
by the Allied Wallpaper Trades, and
all narties concerned notified of all