The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-07-08
WAGE REDUCTION

To the Officers and Members of
Local Unions, International Union,
International Union of Timber
workers.
Greeting:
Wage reductions continue to be
the order of the day with the
Northwest lumber operators, through
, the medium of the Four LIS. Press
! reports of June oath carry the
story that another reduction be-
comes effective in the Inland Empire
on July LIST. This good news is
said to come from Mr.. Norman F.
Coleman, President of the Four Is.
. 1t should be a source of deep graf
ification for the president of this
mutual-admiration society to be able
to report continuous wage reductions
to the membership. This furnishes
added proof to our statement that
+ the Four Is is under the domina-
, ton of the employers. Any man
who claims to have the welfare of
labor at heart, and who claims to
understand the hopes and aspira-
tions Of the workers, who will con-
tine to work for and retain an or
ganization of the Four Is type is
not on the square. We defy the
supporters of that organization to
point out one single thing that it
/ has ever done to advance the inter-
ests of the workers in the timber
industry; we will meet them any
where and at any time and pay the
expenses of the meeting to have an
opportunity to go on the platform
with any of them in Joint debate
as to the merits of their alleged la
Dor organization as compared to the
merits of legitimate labor union.
In the past few days our atten-
, ton has been directed to the time
! slips of some men who have been
working 10 hours per day. The
| wage rate was 25 cents per hour,
the length of service as long as
three weeks, where it has been
shown that the worker left the lob
with nothing to his credit. The
conditions of the workers in the
worse; wages go lower, mills and
camps are closed, in some instances
the 10-hour day has been restored.
| How long this downward trend of
labor conditions will continue, we
are unable to say, only the work
ers themselves can answer the ques
ton. AS long as they tamely sub
NIT, as long as they fail to or
ganize, as long as they fail to pro-
test, these conditions will be imposed
upon them. Without organization
they are voiceless and helpless; no
one understands that better than
the employers, and they have not
been slow to take advantage of it..
ORGANIZATION CAMPAIGN
Plans are being formulated for a
gigantic campaign of organization
in the Northwest The proposition
will be taken up at the annual con-
vention of the Washington State
Federation of Labor on July 18th,
when a joint conference will be held
with representatives of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, the Inter
national Union of Timberworkers,
and the officers of the Oregon State
Federation of Labor. The work
will be extended to other states
just as rapidly as the plans will
permit. 1t is recognized by all
concerned that the conditions exist
| ing in the timber industry are a
standing menace to the entire Pa
cific Coast; it is recognized that
the unholy influence of the lum-
| Der operators on the political af-
fairs of the Northwest must be
broken; that if there is to be free
dom for the workers in any indus
try, that it must be made an es-
tablished fact in the timber in
| d1,ctru With thic lp6orcf q dina
of the grave Importance of the move
under consideration, the officers of
the State Federations of Labor of
Oregon and Washington, the direct
representatives of the American
Federation of Labor, and the In
ternational officers of the Timber
workers, will leave nothing undone
to organize the workers in the tim
Der industry up to the highest point
| of effectiveness.
ORGANIZATION WORK
Local Unions have been formed
| at Millville, and Bay Harbor, Flor
ida. Organization meetings have
been held at Everett, and Midtown,
Washington, at Occur d'Alene and
St. Maries, Idaho.
We do not plan on many meet
| ings until after our conferences on
July 18th, at Vancouver, Washing
ton. However, we will meet every
demand that is made on us by the
workers in any locality where help
| is needed.
GENERAL
Local Presidents will find enclosed
the quarterly password for the
Third Quarter, 1921.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts
of George Casper will confer a ia
vor if he will communicate with A.
| G.. Galbraith, Midtown, Wash.
Local officers are requested to
pay strict attention to the new pro
visions in the International Consti-
tuion relative to the auditing of
local books, and payment for sup
plies and other sums that may be
due the International Union. Copies
of the new constitution will be sent
to the locals just as soon as avail.
able; in the meantime, refer to our
official bulletin of June 18th.
Wages have been reduced another
121a per cent at Midtown, Wash
ington, and 10 per cent at Klamath
Falls, Oregon. Aggregate reduc-
lions of AZ per cent have been forced
on all of the workers in the tim
Der industry of the Northwest.
Lumber operators are reported
to have requested a hearing before
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to secure the return of about
SO, 100000, in demurrage charges
made by the railroads, which they
claim has been unjustly withheld.
That is fine! But how about the
$35, 000,000 per year that the en-