Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-29
ARBITRATORS AWARD SETS CARPENTERS
 WAGE RATE AT 78.75c PER HOUR

has, generally speaking, been apprecia- bly reduced.
 ?. I think 1t can be conclusively shown that the reductions in the cost of many necessaries range from five to fifty per cent of the prices prevailing in the early part of 1920! Of several staple articles picked at random, the average reduction in wartime prices
 was found to be approximately twenty seven per cent.
 ,. There are certain exceptions to the
 general statement relating to the reduce
 tion of the cost of living. Rents, for ex- ample, ale still high. It is a fact, my l investigation discioses, that building | material prices have been reduced, and think there is force in the argument
 of the builders that if wages are also
 reduced, there will be an incentive to build, resulting in an increase in the supply of, and consequent decrease in
 the demand for, houses, and a ,lecfea SC
 ih rent prices in all probability. But
 even though the wages of carpenters
 were now heavily reduced. I feel that
 much time would elapse before mater ially impfoved conditions in the mat ter of rents could be brought about Cn- like the custom prevailing in some trades I am advised that carpenters are re- quired to btiy and pay for and to keep in proper condition, the tools they use Inquiries of the principal dealers in tools elicit the fact that there has been no reduction in prices in this line and 1 that none is expected in the immediate future. While many commodities have
 been reduced in price, 1t Is stth tru' I that some are now to be had only al thfeh prices Taking these facts into ! account, and the further fact that car , penters in the nature of their trade arr
 undoubtedly, to some extent, restricted in the amount of labor they can perform for their employers in any oneN year . [ feel that the demand of the builders re specting a reduction in wages is slight ly excessive.
 1. feel that no such reason hs
 been called to my attention. Nor am { myself, able to discover any such req
 son. I shall not attempt to come { z any conclusion regarding the relativ importance of carpenters and other skill ! | ed workers in building construction, no | consequently, as to whether or not car penters are entitled to any greater wag I than, say, plumbers or bricklayers. Tn s | present wage agreement between build d CTS and carpenters is evidence to m d mind that both considered eighty-seve l. and one-half cents per hour, a fai
 minimum wage for the members of sal s union in April, 1920.
 I f we have all been afflicted, cannot, ( . course, continue. A return to condition f normal is inevitable. Wages in all lint - of activity are being reduced in var. e ing amounts. The difficult question l. as to just what the reduction shall b IT The entire body of citizens finds it ne ii essary to accommodate itself to chant ,t ing conditions. That the return to no l. lmal conditions can be brought aboI
 gradually is, to my mind, fortunate. 'e The purchasing power of the doll; ,f increases from time to time. It has. l. think, been truly sad, that worker $ must judge their welfare not by nom if nal wages, paid in money, but by re s. wages, by the purchasing power of the l. money wages. There is, of course, il
 obligation on the part of employers d render over to labor every dollar ear d ed''
 take 1t that am not called upon in consider the wages paid to apprentice
 whose status is fixed in Section Nine e. the wage agreement above referred to. le In view of conditions as at prese nt found. I am of the opinon that redu
 ton of ten per cent. in the minimu IS hourly wage fixed in said wage agre e. ment, should be accepted by the mel nt bers of said union.
 Something was. said at the time ' It Peek and Mir. McNeely first called u CT matter to my attention about char r. being made by me for the preparati S: of this opinion. Under all the circui e. stances. I feel that no charge 'oug e. to be made. lis Respectfully,
 b. ANDREW B. DAVIES. g, Norwich, April 2S, 1921.