The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-02-21
NEW WAGE
DEMANDS To
BE MADE
Wet Blanket is Thrown Ov-
er Building Prospects in
Caulmet Region.

Although building prospects in the
Calumet region have never appeared
roster than at present because Of the
apparent Willingness on the part OF
builders TO make the Investment in
spite OF the prevailing high prices.
labor difficulties now looming large
treaten 10 throw wet blanket over
the whole business unless an smicable
adjustment can be made before the
building season opens.
Demands Of four Of the crafts Of the
Building Trades Council now in the
hands OF tho employers call for wage
increases which the employers say can
not be met Lathers, plasterers. pant
ers and laborers arc asking that the
wage be increased 70 $40 for an sight
hour day The lsthers in addition
favor cutting down their set day from
thirty bundles TO twenty-five or twenty
seven bundles.
Other crafts. II is said. are waiting
TO see what the outcome OF this mi
tial tight viii be. and in case the four
crafts win similar increases viii % u-
.inanded Those making the demands
say that the employers must meet
them while the contractors insist that
IL Is ADlpOGSlDiE- y INNS lAUEnl -
threatened and ii is feared that a rep
etition OF the labor disputes OF last
summer will occur on a larger scale
this season with the resultant dem
orslization of the building industry
for the year s~4.
letter from the building Trades
Council to the Times present serious
situation.
The following letter is seif-explsn-
atory:
In answer 70 your article in TIE
LAKE COUNTY TINES OF Friday Feb. 20
under the caption OF Opinions e.
pressed Conflicting" and in answer toll
your question OF. "Wil 1920 Be a Good
Building Year in Hammond
We believe that through the careful
procedure or the contractors in all the
various crafts. they are in position
TO answer this question more accur-
ately than any other source and from
that standpoint. We would state thst
first a good building year viii depend
entirely on the disposition OF the vari-
Gus crafts employed IN buildings
Granting that the cost Of material has
been decidedly increased during the
last twenty-four months. It has not in
creased IN any excess OF tffe ldbRI Eilb
freight rates involved in the handling
OF all classes Of materials. Nor has Ill
iucreas sed more than the iournevmen
mechanics pay as up 70 the present
time. The labor at the present time,
represents almost exactly one-half Of
the cost Of any building operation In
other words. Il 2 structure vas to cost
.to.ooo-S5.ooo Of this money would be
Gofp 81
the final erecting.
The Building Trades Employers
Association since Nov 14th. have had
special committees working constant
~ with the vie wof arriving at FIX
ed working condition for building OPP
erations during tho ensuing year.
This business OF the Employers AS
Sociatlon has been carried on enerset-
ically through a paid secretary and
every possible stone has been turned
with the view Of stsbilizing condit-
ions so that a good building year u
Hammond and the Calumet district
NAV b. assured; az our organization
Is designed for covering the ertlre
Calumet district and is affiliated with
the Gary organization and At tho pres
ent time there has been no definite
conclusion arrived at.
We viii state tina tseveral OF the
crafts have made demands for an IN
crease OF 20 per cent or $500 per day
per man and in some instances have
demanded reduction in production
OF from per cent I ole 23 per cent
in output There are some OF the
crafts who are conservative and do
not hesitate TO express Themselves
through their officials to state that
their present wage scale which Is a.
most universally st0o per hour is
satisfactory and should be maintained
However. they feel and 50 state that,
IN the event of any other craft re-
ceivins an advance in pay. they should
be entitled to as much. On this ques-
tlon the contractors feel that al
crafts are entitled to equal pay and
that II sober thinking among the
various crafts should prevail. we have
no doubt but what the present demands
Of $40 day by the lsthers. plasterers
and sheet metal workers Will be elm
mated and uniform rate OF pay which
now prevails viii prevail throughout
the season However, if such should
not ia tile case and tile crafts who are
most vitality interested IN 4 good build
ing season see ft to create strife and
turmoil against their own interests
and in this way hsmperinG the growth
and development Of their own district
il viii certainly put the entire matter
on their own shoulders and beyond the
reac hof any contractor or real estate
dealer of this district.
THE mention BY two or three OH
your people quoted in the paper OF
money being easy. We do not believe
refers TO any particular time other
than the present. We do saow from
the contractors standpoint that there
,as been two or three meetings held
BY people who handle large amounts