The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-13
A SCRAP OF
PAPER" OR AN
AGREEMENT?
Printers are Carrying-On
in Fight for Principle
Similar to That Fought
For in the World
War.

1
week, finds the membership just as
determined to enforce the terms OF
the agreement entered into with the
Employing Printers two years ago
as they were on the first day OF May.
Much propaganda has been dis
| tributed from the headquarters of
the Employers Association in an
| effort to mislead and befuddle the
minds of the public as to the real
issue involved in the present con
troversy between the Employing
Printers and the Printing Trades
Mechanics.
The true facts in the case briefly
/ stated are as follows:
In April of 1919, the Printing
Trades were enjoying an era OF
| prosperity unprecedented in the his
tory of the country. There was a
great shortage of Printing Trades
Mechanics due to the fact that thou
sands of members of the Printing
Trades organizations had responded
to the call of the colors and were
engaged in the war TO make tho
world safe for democracy.
About this time an agitation for
the establishment of the 44-heur
week began to take place and the
Employing Printers throughout the
country realized that the 44-hour
week would only be a step forward
in the line of progress in industrial
life in this country, became aware
n 10 hnA fha nesfa nh
lishment of the 44-hour week
would be a fact in the Printing
Trades Industry.
They were also aware that due to
the shortage of help and the enor-
nous amount of printing being done
at that particular time, that it
would be easy for the Printing
Trades Workers through the force
of their industrial organizations to
bring about the immediate estab-
lishment of the 44-hour week.
In an effort to forestalI such a
program a conference was called
with the international heads of the
five printing trades organizations
and after many meetings an agree
ment was entered into in which the
L
of which the Local Employing
Printers were members, agreed to
put the 44-hour week into operation
May 1, 1921.
This agreement was taken before
the conventions OF the various En-
ploying' Printers Association and
ratified. 1t was also submitted to
referendum vote of the five printing
trades organizations and carried by
an overwhelming majority.
After the consumation of the |
above agreement, the employees /
made no further effort to inaugurate /
the 44-hoUr week, feeling that the
matter had been definitely settled /
and the employers would live up to
their part of the agreement.
In the meantime, however, the [
hysteria for the open SHOP" be- t
gan to take root in this country. /
Great pressure was brought to bear /
upon the employing printers by (
large financial interests in an effort /
to influence them to abrOgate their I
agreement with the employees.
Apparently they met with very
little success until along in Decem-
Der of 1920, when a rebellious ele-
nent in the ranks of the Employing
Printers began an extensive cam
'afgn of propaganda in an effort to
lave the agreement abrogate6-
Numerous conferences were
allied with the representatives OF
he Printing Trades Organizations
nd at each and every one OF these |
neetings a committee of the en-
'loyers reiterated their position in
avor of the 44-hour week. Imagine
he surprise of the members of the
4ocaI Printing Trades Organiza
ions when during the month OF
February they met in conference
With a local committee of the En-
)loyers and were informed that the
agreement in relation to the 44-hOur
week would be violated and that the
employers insisted upon a continue
ion of the old 4S-hour week basis.
OF course the local committee of
he Employees insisted upon the full
illment of the terms of the agree
nent and the Employers steadfastly
refused.
There was no alternative for the
workers but to cease work on the
first day of May, 1921, in an effort 10
enforce the terms of the agree
nent.
The Employers Immediately be
IAN to issue statements in the daily
,apers misrepresenting the true
acts in the case. On the other
hand the Employees maintained /
heir dignified silence feeling that
he fanatic desire of a few dis
members of the Employ
RS Association would squickly be
quelched by the more conservative
lement within their ranks, but ap-
these disruptionists have
ucceeded in innoculating the entire
membership of the Local Typothetae
nth the contract breaking germ
nd the Employees therefore feel
allied upon to justify their position
! the eyes of the public.
The above are true facts which
an be borne out by records in pos
ession of the union officials. The
bove is the first of a series of pub
&c explanations that will be issued
y the publicity bureau of the Print
lg Trades Organizations
We expect to have some startling
tatements in connection with the
rinting trades strike that will be a
eyelation to the public and will be
he means of tearing away The
u