The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-03-18
A STEVEDORING
COMPANY MAKES
TROUBLE AGAIN

again violated the signed agreement
with the Longshoremens Union aud
made it impossible for men with
red blood in their veins to go to
work under the Company's super
vision.
The company claims that it is
justified in the steps taken and
that it is vital to Everett that ships
be loaded in Everett under precise
| ly the same conditions that ships
are loaded elsewhere on the sound.
AS matter of fact there is no
| justification for the Company's ac-
| tion. The company has a signed
agreement with the Longshoremen
which it takes frequent opportuni-
ties to break, Notwithstanding that
there is in that agreement provision
for a conference when either party
becomes dissatisfied, which ends the
agreement until differences are set
tied. This provision the company
ignored.
The company is right when it
says "it is vital to Everett" Should
this stevedoring outfit have its
way the longshoremen here would
be compelled to work for less un-
der humliating conditions while the
| company would continue to further
enrich itself off their labor. What
the company would get the mer-
chants of Everett would lose. The
| longshoremen of Everett are bona
their money here, and at that they
do not get enough the year around
to sustain a decent American stand
ard Of living.
What this stevedoring company
wants to do is to maintain a sort
of migratory gang Of workers with
headquarters in Seattle. No good
for the men and not much good
for any but the headquarters town.
The company talks about ineffi-
cheney. There is nowhere more
efficient gang of workers when it
comes to loading and unloading ships
than organized longshoremen. The
| company takes a percentage from
| the shipmasters based on the earn
ings of the crews doing the work,
and the more inefficient the crews
the longer it takes them to do
the work and the more the steve
dores make for doing practically
nothing. They wish to disorganize
the longshoremen to reduce their
pay.
The stevedores would take money
both from the longshoremen and
the company. Where there is a
well organized union the work is
in oh chi -,
has to pay less if it makes it's con-
tract with the union, which charges
| nothing for the contract. The ship
does not have to pay do-nothing
company for doing nothing but
make trouble.
The company makes much fuss
about the "list SYSTEM" which is
nothing but a rotation of work tax
en- from a list of members of a
] union.
Longshoremen's Statement
Read the longshoremen's state
ment, reprinted from the Herald,
which is a fair, honest manly state
ment of the case Business Agent
Frank Preston of the Longshore-
mems Union says:
First that the West Toges would
be in harbor this morning.
"Second, that his company in
tended choosing its own men for
loading the vessel.
Third, that his company intend
ed abolshing double time for meal
hour work and pay only straight
time
Fourth, that his company intend
ed paying only for actual time
worked.
"The hour of 1870 o'clock yester-
day afternoon was named by Carl
son as the time he intended choos-
ing men for the job. To our
knowledge he picked no men from
this union. He probably chose some
union men. Of that l am not sure.
81 do know that someone in Sc
attic recruited gang of about 40
men, most of them from the two
Seattle longshoremen's locals. They
arrived in Everett, about 10 o'clock
this morning. We held a confer
ence with them and after they
learned the situation all but about
| eight of them went home. Those
who remained, | understand, are
working on the boat.
"We have an agreement with the
stevedoring company. 1t provides
| that when either party wishes to
break the contract at least 80 days
notice shall be given. The COM
pany has broken the agreement on
two hours notice. We We're not even
| given chance to get together and
talk it over. Last night was our
regular meeting night and no op-
portunity was given us to discuss it
then. The company simply decided
| to break the agreement and then
| locked us out.
"We maintain that it is unfair to
us. Most of our men either own
homes or are paying for them. One
of our trustees, o. Burnett, has
Just shown me receipt for taxes
he paid, $101. We were blamed
for running the Steelworker out of
town and letting $4,000 in wages
go to Seattle. How about this sit
uation? How about the stevedor-
| ing company going OF Seattle and
bringing 40 men up here to take
the places of Everett taxpayers
who honestly need the money to
feed their children? 1t doesn't look
like a square deal for us.
1--WE do not dispute the bosses
right to fire a man who is no good
on the lob. If he is inefficient we
are willing that he should go and
let man who will work, take his
place, The list system gives us a
chance to apportion out the Jobs. 1t
gives everyone chance to do some
work on these lean days.
"There is no wage dispute al
though the bosses order on the ex-