Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1921-09-29
EIGHT HOUR DAY ON
MUNICIPAL WORK
Urged by Central Labor Union
in Conference With City
Officials.

Win theinpefh Oh the tentra LABOR ,
Union and representatives of city de-
partments. requested City Solicitor
Reuben Satterthwaite to write an
oninion on the State law providing for
eight hours work per day and pre-
Nailing wages on municipal contracts
Two facts developed at the conference,
First, That the Board OF Harbor |,
Commissioners. after reading the
Central Labor Unions complaint and
the published extracts OF the law
governing the hours OF work and 1
wages, had. with the assistance of
the city solicitor. amended the marine
terminal contract with the du Point |
Engineering Co. by tho insertion OF a |
clause to the effect that the con-
tractor would pay the prevailing rate
OF wages.
Second. That the prevailing rate of |
wages 10 laborers and carpenters eru-
ployed on the various municipal pro- |
1ects. with the exception of the |
marine terminal. are IS and 20 cents |
per hour. respectively. On the termi. !
nal project. Il was admitted that labor |
ers arc receiving only 25 cents per |
hour.
Announcement was made that fur.
Their action by the Central Labor Union |
would depend upon the harbor con-
tractors living up to the letter OF the
law. The labor delegation argued that
enforcement OF the eixht-hour pro-
vision would tend TO alleviate the I'M
employment situation In Wilmington.
Patrick Walsh outlined the com
aNft,inf Af kn T..t.
and requested immediate action.
President Ward Of Council stated
the matter had not been taken up with
the city solicitor, but the case as
presented by the labor delegation
would be considered.
Joseph p. Long asked whether law
constitutes eight hours days work
on municipal projects.
City Solicitor Satterthwaile declared
there is no such law but admitted that
at the solicitation OF Willard A. Speak
man, chairman of the Board OF Har-
l'or Commissioners. he had amended
the contract with the du Pont En-
gineering Co. by inserting clause
providing for eight hours work per day.
IF YOU are going TO keep this thing
up and ding-dons with il. We will have
to take other mea sures," Mir. Long re-
marked You are employing men ~
hours per week. or ~ hours per day"
James o'Kane said: cit Is not the
q, sire OF the Central Labor Union to
icojardise or hinder the city in any
way An its work. but merely 10 in
sist that working conditions on NUM-
cipal projects are conducted in &C.
vordance with the law.
j Library Project
Councilman Abrahams stated the
city had nothing whatever 10 do with
the Public Library proposition: that
while a bond Issue Of $500, 900 has been
authorized, the city is not Obligated
to issue the bonds unless they are
needed
When Councilman McManus In
, sisted that the labor delegation put its
complaint in writing. Mr.. Long said he
, believed the verbal complaint Of the
COMMITTEE was stronger than a written
, complaint.
You are only driving the bull
D around the corner for another week, "
b Mr.. Long said
, John c. Saylor, business represen-
/ iative OF the Central Labor Union
: stated a letter containing that body's
0 complaint had been Forwarded &c
r Council and was probably in the hand.
: Of Clerk Simmons.
Our feeling in the matter is this,
Mr.. Savior added There are certain
0 ways Council is going 70 raise money
ta pay for these things, and We dom
want TO do anything to monkey
0 wrench the machine; but IL there Il
shy way TO put more men 10 work ",
O want 10 see them put TO work. WheI
Q we came here, representing our mem
= bers as you do the citizenship Of VII
0 mington, II developed upon City Coun
d ell TO ind out whether these board
i are living up 10 the law. II you ar
d unable to do it, We will have 20 tax
: the longer course, which We don
70 want TO dc We are not going int
Re Jaw AZ this time, and we dom, want e
q but we want things done this year an
g rot next. Take your time about il
q out don't put i; or until next year"
Charles Ralston stated the Publ
, library contractors are paying so 4
y So cents per hour TO carpenters, where
/ a. the union rate is 30 cents.
, s. y. Van Trump stated the wste
Department is paying 80 to 40 cent
= per hour, the latter rate for NOR
skilled labor. Working hours are So
= for five days and Al on Saturday
1, , making IS hours per week.
! Street Commissioner Frank "
Pierson stated the Street and Sewe
Department is paying the same rate
!. but working nine hours per day 70
! five days and FIVE hours on Saturday
raaking so hours a week provided tn
men are able TO make full time. Ne
ohanics are paid the prevailing wag
rate in the city. He explained that
number OF streets have been graded
but cannot be resurfaced until tn
= city's asphalt plant can supply N
% material. He said $4,000 is investe
in the plant and after this year tn
!. department would be able 10 do a
y the street work required. The me-
Equipment, he stated. is saving the cit
Il 81 ton on asphalt.
$ Edward r.. Mack told Council III
Board Of Park Commissioners pay
laborers 50 cents per hour, except ol
men, who receive 80 cents. and con
- pensstes foremen, carpenters an
- handy men at the rate of 70 cen
y per hour.
y Councilmen Murray mentioned n
fact that park guards work 3,400 hou
per year, and Councilman McNaf
suggested that they form a union.
r Willard A. Speakman said the Boa
of Harbor Commissioners emplo,
= scarcely anyone and does not empl,
any mechanics. The city solicitor i
r. 5. rted in the harbor contract la 81 w..