The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-09

alton done by day labor. Peter Mum
cted as foreman and a crew of union
luth. was employed at the union scale
Saved Peoples Money.
All employers profit was to be
saved to the board and the most COM
petent workmen were engaged to do
the painting. The school board, by
resolution, authorized such a program.
To carry it out material and equip
ment were purchased, insurance pre-
miums were paid and number of
men were put to work.
Everything was moving serenely.
The painters were putting in their
best licks. Satisfactory work was
performed and the schools were be-
ing painted at cheaper cost to the
board than has been paid in years.
Then came the Citizens Alliance
with it's usual "butting in" habit.
There is nothing that will make L.
Z. Harris see red so quickly as a
union man working on a union j,b
under union conditions. When the
anti-rnion boss learned of the school
board painting he went straight up"
THAT must not be-" he declared, end
it seems as if his "must not be- was
taken by certain members of the
school board as a ukase.
Put 1t Over Coole.
A meeting of the committee on
schools and buildings was hastily
called. This committee is composed
Of Directors, Clough.: knight and
Coole: Mr.. %Coole was late in his ar
rival at the meeting. ~Clough and
knight constitutedt themselvess;4.sa
quorum and without giving Mr.. Cooie
an. opportunity to be heard or to vote
on the matter they declared for. a,
| reduction in the wages Of painters
from 81. to 80 cents. an hour to- go
int immediate effect without a vote
! of the board On the matter. =
When Mr.. Coole arrived at the
committee meeting the two other
members continued with the business
before them without advising the
labor member of their action in -vot-
ing to reduce the wages of the, paint
ers employed by the board. Indeed,
Mr.. ,Coo1e did not learn what had been
done until he was informed by the
business agent Of the Painters union
some time later.
Harris Pulls Strings.
School Director knight is employed
by the Minnesota Steel company at
Morgan Park and Mr.. Clough is a
| contractor doing work for the same
concern. The Citizens Alliance presi-
| dent know where to pull his string.
1t is now proposed to advertise for
bids to complete the painting in the
schools. Union painters hold that no
contractor will be able to do the work
as cheaply as it can be done by day
I labor. If non-union contractor
should be the lowest bidder he would
employ imported strikebre akers to do
| the work.
A large delegation Of painters
| waited on the school board at a. spe-
cial meeting held last Friday eve
ming in protest against the action Of
the committee on schools and build
1ngs, but it was ruled that the mat
ter could not properly come before
! a special meeting. It will be taken
up at the regular meeting of the
board to be>held this evening, Friday.
Wastcful Extravagance.' -;
The Duluth Taxpayers league, the
organization of taxpayers recently
formed here. has. it is said, been get:
ting reports of the wanton extray-
| agance of the school board in the
| expenditure of public money. That
| will be subject for investigation in
the not distant future.
There will be school election on
| Saturday, June 16, at which three di:
| rectors are to be elected. If the
school game was played on the square
| and If the majority of the membe re-
OF the present board were less auto
cratic and reposed more confidence
| and trust in the people who elected
them than they do there would be
five directors elected at the coming
election, instead of three, for 1T Is
given out on good authority that two
of the present members are to re-
sign shortly following the election.
Randall to Leave.
Director Frank r. Randall is about
to leave Duluth to take up. his resi-
dence in Omaha and therefore viii
be compelled to relinquish his. Of.
flee. It is said that DE-. Eklund il
tiring Of the work and has wanted ia
resign, but he has been induced to
withhold his resignation until after
the school election. The vacancies
will be filled by the remainin ). mem
bers Of the board. 81 E f 80
| At the coming election Director
Frank CrassWeller is a candidate to
succeed himself. He should be re,
elected. DirectorNC. Francis Coleman
IS also q candidate for reelection.
Director McC Cullough Is not q candi.
,Edate for election. ] !. ~. Hunt !, H. Z
Continued on pass sassl