Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1920-05-07


sembly at the last regular meeting,
by a unanimous vote, placed the
Pharis Tire and Rubber Company Of
this city on the eve Don't Patronize
List" Action on this matter has
been postponed and deferred from
time to time until forbearance ceased
to be a virtue, and the dilatory and
dictatorial tactics pursued by the
rubber company finally forced definite
action.
For a long time the employees at
this plant have, it is alleged, been
obliged to work under the most un-
pleasant and adverse conditions, which
the company failed to change or i'm
prove. At length, becoming weary
of delay, the men held one or two
informal meetings to discuss the
situation and if possible devise some
means of bettering their condition.
At these meetings a hard working
representative of Judas Iscariot was
present, no doubt one of the pussy
footed so-called detectives which the
company, it is claimed, had placed in
the guise of rubber workers among
the men to spy on their actions, listen
to the talk and carry tales back to
the bosses. This amateur Benedict
Arnold furnished headquarters with
a list of all those who attended the
meetings, and they were summarily
discharged without being given any
reason for such drastic action except
that their services were no longer
needed.
At these meetings held by the en-
ployes a letter was written to the
management specifying their griev-
ances and suggesting some minor
changes which would add greatly to
the welfare and comfort of the men.
When this communication was placed
before Mr.. Pharis he is said to have
refused to read it or even listen to
the representatives of the men who
presented it, loudly vociferating that
they were no longer employees and
that there was no difficulty to adjust.
This letter, which first stated that
they believed Mr.. Pharis to be a
gentleman and a man of his word,
and that as such they could rely upon
him for justice in the past, present
and future dissatisfaction which for
some time has existed between the
company and the men, and of which
they believed him to be unaware,
went on to say that "the trouble
lies with your present superintendent,
Mr.. Hall, and his esteemed tool Mr..
H. Eckelberry." The men, who all
work piecework, claim that they would
report for work early on the cold
winter mornings, but that Mr.. Hall
after getting out of bed at about 9
o'clock and leisurely eating breakfast
would finally show up at the factory,
and those men who did not have a
core to work on had to wait for him
to punch batch of tickets and bring
them up. That often two months sup
ply was cut out and hung up over
hot steam pipes, rendering it almost
impossible to use. Another cause for
complaint was an order to keep all
windows closed tight which rendered
conditions extremely dangerous to
the health of the operatives on ac-
count of the poisonous fumes and
gases which had no way of escaping.
1t was suggested that the specifca-
tions for the new building include
suction pipes to carry away the dust
and fumes. The letter closed with
the request for some minor changes
in the wage scale and that shop
committee be recognized in the ad-
justment of any differences which
might arise in the future.