Evening journal., 1921-09-29
|OPINION SOON
ON 0-HOUR Law
City Solicitor Intimates City
Ordinance is Not Com
pulsory
LABOR THREATENS
COURT ACTION

City Solicitor satterthwaite may
| present to Council tonight a written
opinion on the requirements OF the
State laws providing for an s-hour
day and prevailing rate" OF wages
on municipal work.
At a lively hearing on the subject
| by Council iast night. the City So
licitor was instructed to write such
an opinion, and he intimated he
yhoped to have II ready by the rec1i-
lar session OF the City Fathers this
even'ng. He also intimated that he
doubted II the law relative to an s.
hour day was compulsory. In other
4 words. II the workers themselves
are willing to work longer than
eight hours, they may do so.
Open threat was made by mem
bers Of delegation from the Cen
&tral Labor Union that unless Coun-
I Gil compelled companies or firms
holding municipal contracts to OBJ
serve the S-hour restriction and pay
1 prevailing" rates OF wages. action
! would be taken in the court.
In addition 10 hearing labor's side
OF the controversy. Council also
called before ii representatives Of
the Harbor Commission, Street and
&Sewer Department, Water Depart
ment and Park Board. Testimony
by these representatives showed that
an amendment had been inserted
in the marine terminal contract with
the consent of the DUPONT Engineer
Company contractors. including the
S-hour day and prevailing" rate OF
wages provisions. II also was tes-
titled that the present rate OF pay
for unskilled labor throughout the
4 city was 35 cents an hour. with 5
# cents an hour additional for partly
skilled men. IL was stated that on
{tthe terminal contract pay ranged
only about 25 cents an hour. in
cludinE some partly skilled work.
4 ers.
The Central Labor Union delega-
ton was composed OF Patrick Walsh,
Charles Ralston. James O'Kane.
U william Alexander, Joseph p. Ions
and John c. Saylor. Mr.. Walsh
charged that various city depart
ments and contractors on municipal
work were violating the laws cited.
President Ward stated that the
matter had not been taken up with
# the City Solicitor but that the case
81 as presented by the committee would
be considered as the formal COM
plcint This did not satisfy the
ifher representative. who wanted i'm
mecia-e action. Nor did Council.
man McManus' declaration that cit,
81 Council would take the matter VI
and give the labor delegation ar
81 op mon later suit Mr. Walsh.
II you are going to keep this
thing up and 'd.ng-dong' with il. W,
VII have 10 take other measures.
said Mr.. Walsh. You are workini
men seventy-two hours a week, Of
twelve hours a day."
Mr.. O'kane said Il was not the de
sire OF the Central Labor Union I,
a jeopardize or hinder the city in an
way In its work. but merely to insis
that working conditions on munich
pal work are conducted in accord
ance with the law.
81 Courc Imam Abrahams stated tha
~ Zoe csy has nothing whatever to d,
III .h he Public Library contract: tina
n t~ l1rized. the city is not obli
4 ssue the bonds unless the.
S 7c rd and may not do so 10
s 1r more.
1 t'-cn Councilman McManus in
s s 30 that the delegation put il
~ protest in writing. Mr.. Long sal
he believed the verbal complaint o
~ he committee was stronger than
n written complaint.
you are only driving the bul
around the barn for another week.
Mr.. Long said.
John c. Sayior, business represen
.ative Of the Central Labor Union
stated that a letter containing tha
W 5ody's complaint had been forward
I'd to Council.
II "Our feeling in the situation 1
"a his" he added. There are certai
W ways Council is going 10 rails
"a money to pay for these things. an
ve don't want to do anything {
monkey wrench the machine; bu
+ there Is any way TO put more me
20 work we want 70 see them put [
8 work When we came here repre-
II ienting our members as you do IN
ri citizenship Of Wilmington. II devel
W )ped upon City Council to find ou
s whether these boards are living u
% the law. II you are unable TO d
I, we will have to take the longe
/ course. which we don't want 70 d.
We are not going into law at thi
s.. line. and we don't want TO: but W
want things done this year and nc
# lext Take your time about 1t. bu
W iont put Il off until next year"
IS S. n. Van Trump, chief eigineel
~ aid the Water Department wa
## paying from thirty-five to fort