Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-21
LABOR INSISTS ON
E|CHT-HOUR WORKDAY
To Confer With Council to De-
termine If Law is Being
Followed.


The Central Labor Union has APP
pointed "A committee to appear before
the members of City Council sitting
as n committee of the whole this even
ing to urge that the city observe and
enforce the state law which specifies
that on all municipal work the eight
hour day must be adhered to and that
prevailing rates of wages must be
paid. This committee includes Pat
rick Walsh, Charles Ralston. James
D'kane, William Alexander and Joseph
4. Long. This decision was reached
ct a meeting of the central body last
night and legal action in the form of
injunction proceedings to restrain all
municipal work is hinted at if il
should be found that the law is not
being complied with or the city in
sists on ignoring it after the provis-
Ions of the statutes have been pointed
put.
IL is claimed the prevailing rate
for carpenters is S7i5 cents per hour
and for laborers 80 cents per hour
whereas the labor men claim on the
new harbor work carpenters are be-
ing paid at the rate of 80 cents an
hour and laborers are being paid 25
cents an hour. II is also claimed that
on both the harbor and new library
projects men are working 10 hours a
day. Work under the jurisdiction of
the Street and Sewer Department and
the Board of Park Commissioners is
also affected.
The complaint is based on the pro-
visions of the state Law as found in
chapter g., pages 10S5-36-37, revised
code of Delaware. wherein the eight
hour day is specified and the prevail
ing rate of pay is set forth and the
penalty for violating the provisions
Is removal from office. Should the
central body take the steps threatened
all work being done by the city or
with which the city is connected would
be seriously disrupted.
The secretary Of the Central Labor
Union was directed to send a letter
20 the magistrates in this city asking
them to carefully investigate cases
of men brought before them for tress-
passing on railroad property and to
be as lenient as possible when the
case warrants when the defendant can
prove he is seeking work.
The Unemployment situation was
considered at some length. Several
cases of great ne were brought 10
the attention of the delegates. An ap-
peal was ordered sent to Mayor Har-
vey urging him to immediately call
together all representative bodies in
te- d in social work and endeavor
So Sf,-os
p'cysa, setting forth their condition
a. their needs; &c inaugurate some
United effort toward relieving their
rrrering and supply their needs be-
fore the stress of winter sets in.
The United Leather Workers re-
ported the opening of glazed kid week
q great success and urged support by
the workers during the week. 1t was
said the campaign should result in the
securing Of employment by many
l>a'her workers who have been idle
TO- sometime.
Delegates from the railroad shop
crafts said a mass meeting would be
held next Monday evening in the
basement Of the Odd Fellows Hall
Tenth ana King streets. National rep.
resentatives viii speak
An official appeal was received from
President Gompers of the A. F. of L
ars.ns all central bodies to plan a bis
q tnoassration on Armistiee Day fol
oiaar-nanent. This matter was held
over until later date.
Contractors Position.
Officials Of the lu Pont Enginee,
Ing Co. today informed harbor off
cials, according TO the latter, that th
movement TO stop all harbor wor
because Of alleged violations OF tn
state law, was a case of misunder
standing. The du Pont offici- Is an
nounced, it is said, that mechanic
employed on harbor work were re
oeiving prevailing rates of wages, al
In some instances more, because
the need of skilled men in their lir
Concerning the alleged violation ,
the eight-hour day, it was said tn;
In none OF the work except gradir
rad the Torkmen been employed Ion,
er than eight hours. The urgent nee
Tor the grading being completed,
that the other work could be expedi
ed. led 10 some of the men being er
ployed ten hours, but this the officia
pointed out was an emergency tn
often arises in all cases, where COZ
tracts are made to be completed wit
IN a specified time.
The men were told, it is said. tn
the contractors wanted them to wo
extra time and that the men we
only too willing to get the chance (
employment. When the whole matt
II Strengthened out. it is said, the
VIII be nothing to indicate that t
contractors have Intentionally or w
fully violated the site law.