Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-05-13
BOSSES SHARE
IN REDUCTION
Willing to Share With Men in
Cut in Cost of Building So
Public May Benefit.
WORKERS HAVE REFUSED
Send Communication Calling
Reported Poster to Be Mis-
representation of Facts.
WORKERS HAVE REFUSED

II pCNdhlS hiioNli hCooy thds NiAN
boss carpenters are willing to share
with the men in the reduction in the
cost of building in order that the
pdblic may benefit. According to a
statement given the EVENING
NEWS by a representative of the
boss carpenters, at the old rate of
wages the men were being paid 81
per hour, or IS per day. In submit
ting his estimates, the contractor
added thirty-five cents per hour
more for overhead expenses so that
the price to the public was $10.SO
per day per man.
In asking the men to take a re-
duction of 81 day SO that his wages
would be 81 per day instead of IS.
the boss carpenters also agreed to
take 81 per day per man off their
charge for overhead expenses so
that instead of the public being ask
ed to pay $10.S0 per day per man
for a job, the public would be
charged only $3.50 per day per man,
a saving of 81 per day for every
= man, yet the men would be reduced
only 81 per day, the other dollar
being taken off by the bosses.
The bosses insist that they are
willing to have the whole matter re-
ferred to a committee made up OF
representatives OIL llS puDllC anu
they will abide by any decision that
may be reached. as in the final an
alysis it is the public that has to pay.
When some of the men were seen
regarding this version of the propos-
ed reduction they did not seem aware
that the bosses were willing to throw
off any of the expense, being under
the impression that the men were to
carry the whole load.
Exception is taken by the carpen-
terS' union now on strike, because
they refuse to accept a reduction
in wages, to a stateme ent IN the daily
News Letter" being issued by the
Building Trades Association. The
objection is taken to statements in
a letter issued on May 9th, stating
that some of the carpenters wanted
to return to work at the reduced
rate, but the union would not give
it's consent. The union brands this
statement as misleading to the
public.
Following Is the union letter to
the Evening News. answering this
statement:
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
The following is copy of news
letter" circulated under the head
ing of the Building Trades Associa
ton, Perth Amboy, n. j., May -
1921:
perth Amboy, N. J. masons re-
turned to work voluntarily at re-
duction of SIS per cent in wages.
Carpenters go to work at 20 per
cent. reduction in wages. Sixty per
cent. of men have expressed their
willingness to accept the prepared
wage scale if allowed to do SO by
their association"
The letter closes under the head
of Notice, we deal with facts and
figures only"
Apparently the Master Builders
Association is attempting to mlslead
the public.
We welcome a public investigation
to show how low this association
will bend itself in order to deceive
the public and are confident that
this investigation will disclose the
following facts.
Practically IS per cent. of the me-
chanics are working at old prevail
ing rates of wages, and about 40 per
cent of the members of the Master
Builders Association signify their
willingness to pay that scale, but
have been restrained from SO doing
by the Master Builders Association
under the penalty of expulsion from
their organization. The city sables
job Is an example of this rule. A
reference to the letter received by
the Board Of Aldermen in reference
to this job will set the public right
in this respect.
We warn the public to be on their
guard against misleading propa-
ganda. COMMITTEE.
When this matter was taken up
with the master builders it was de-
clared that the 'neWS-letter" to
which the union men referred is not
published for public distribution, but
is for the trade only.
In reference to masons returning
TO work at a voluntary reduction of
So per cent in wages and carpen-
ters returning at reduction of 20
per cent, IL was stated that this re-
fers to certain masonS and carpen-
tels employed in some of the local
Industries, who hold union cards, but
who have voluntarily accepted a cut
In wages. il is claimed that lots of
men are coming into the city every
day locking for work. but the local
contractors do not want to employ
non-union men unless compelled to
10 so.
A meeting of the Master Builders
Association will be held at 2 o'clock
tomorrow afternoon at which time
1t Is probable that a limit will be
fixed for resuming work at the new
scale and it the union men still re-
fuse. the bosses will feel free to pro-
ceed to hire any men they can get.