Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-02-24
UNIONS OPPOSE
GUT IN WAGES
No Reduction of Scale in the
Building Trades, According
to Reports at Conference.
WAS LARGELY ATTENDED
Men in Accord With Claims
That There Can be No Re-
duction at This Time.
WAS LARGELY ATTENDED

There will be ne reduction in the
wages of the building trades for
some time to come, according to the
reports of the representative of the
various unions of the building trades
of this county at the conference OF
the Building Trades Association and
the representatives of the various
unions, which was held yesterday
afternoon in the rooms of the Build
ing Trades Association in Maple
street.
All of the building trades unions
in the city and some from New
Brunswick were represented at the
conference, except the plumbers
union and a communication from
this union stated that they could see
no reason for reduction in wages
at this time. Representatives of the
different unions then reported.
These reports were all the same and
were to the effect that the unions
could not see where conditions at
the present time warranted a reduc-
tion in wages.
Carl c. Christensen, president OF
the Building Trades Association who
was in charge of the meeting. then
stated that the builders took the
reports of the representatives as a
final decision. He said that he was
glad that the employer and en-
ployee could meet and discuss the
general welfare of both and leave
with feeling that what is good for
one is good for another.
THE builders" said Mr.. Christen-
sen. would like to see a little cut,
and maybe it will come later on
lie invited the unions to come
around and meet with the associa-
finn W fhnU huA -
discuss that concerned them all, and
that now the only thing to do was
to stop and see what the future will
bring.
Frank Davis, representing the
electrical union, then was given the
floor and he requested, on the part
of the unions. that inasmuch as no
cut in wages would be forthcoming
he urged that the builders and
unions get together and stimulate
building, by urging the public to be-
gin building. He said that in his
opinion material would not go any
lower ard as the scale of wages
would not be reduced he thought
that the public should be so inform
cd so that they would not wait long
er for a further reduction in the
cost of construction.
The unions representatives re-
quested that a committee of three
or four persons. from both the
unions and building trades, be ap-
pointed to go before the Chamber
of Commerce and have the dealers
of the city reduce their prices. II
was maintained that although the
wholesalers have reduced their
prices, the dealers have not. 1t was
claimed that the wholesale prices on
many articles had been reduced at
least twenty to twenty-five per cent
Fred Christensen, secretary of the
association then pointed out the me-
cessity of a reduction in wages. He
told how hard it was for the people
to get money to build. In many cases
according to Mr.. christensen, the
person who builds has to have al
least forty per cent. of the money the
house will cost before they can bor-
row the balance. People also are
not building, stated Mr.. Christensen,
because they were afraid that il
they put money in a house today,
in a few years the house will not
be worth as much as it had cost 10
build, because new houses could
then be built cheaper. Mr. Christen-
sen maintained it was a mistake on
the part of the unions in not grant
ing a reduction.
CONTINUED on page p
Simplex Electric Irons at Kelly & Nc
Alinden Co. 6Ss-9oA9t.