Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-04-05
GENERAL LABOR NEWS

At St Johns, Mich, the plant of the
Hayes Wheel Co, resumed operations
with full force. The plant closed In
December. 1t makes truck wheels
The number of unemployed in Swift
zerland has risen from 10000 to 1885,
OO0. Many watch factories and tex
tile industries have closed.
Twenty seven hundred union factory
employees Of the Hamllton-BrOwn Shoe
company, st. Louis, voted to work 4S
hours a week, beginning March l, In
stead of A.
The mills of the Fort Wayne Cor
rugated and Hartford City Paper COM
panies, Hartford City, Ind, did not
close, as had been expected, and man
ayers of the plants We're of the orin-
| ion that, although orders for several
weeks have been light, they may be
able to continue operation indefinitely.
| Officials of the Youngstown (Ohio)
Building Trades Employers associa-
ton said that craftsmen would be re-
quested to accept a 20 per cent wage
reduction in the new agreements that
are effective May l next. The request
was submitted to more than five thou
sand workmen. Journeymen said they
would oppose the wage cut.
Wages of 5000 of the 1000 employ
ecs of the Baltimore Dry Docks and
shipbullding company have reduced ap-
proXimately 10 per cent. ]. NJ. Willis,
vice president and general manager,
said the cut was mot only to put us
on the same basis as other Industries
of the country, but to enable the com
pany to meet competition"
At meeting of the Chattanooga
(Tenn.) carpenters union 1t was voted
To reduce wages from 81 an hour to
so cents an hour. The carpenters are
the first of the building trades to take
action, but other branches are ex-
pected to follow suit at once Build
ing activities have been practically ut
standstilI for several months.
There is a growing possibility that
, union carpenters of Connecticut will
organize cooperative building concerns
to compete with the builders, following
the present controversy over wages.
The builders have organized state
society 10 fight for open shop and to
bring down wages to their pre-war
level.
Van Bitten, chief representative of
7 the United Mine Workers of America,
formally called off the miners strike
In the birmingham (Ala) district. The
order was released through Victor II.
Hanson. Mr.. Hanson Immediately re-
d leased an order from Governor Kilby
e ordering the state troops to be with
! drawn Both sides agreed to leave
= the settlement up TO the governor.
The seamen and licensed officers are
asking the United States Shipping
board to act as arbitrator in the dis.
pute over wages and working condi.
tons between the American Steam.
c ship Owners association ana Inter.
national Seamen's union the Marine
Q Engineers Beneficial association. and
e the Masters, Mates and Pilots. associa-
, ton. The owners insist upon a % per
cent wage cut and elimination of over.
time pay, although their agreement
with the men runs until May /.
Announcement is made by the
Wheeling Steel corporation which con
1 trolls all of the independent iron and
t steel mills in the vicinity Of Wheeling
= W. Va. that general reduction ir
e wages will be effective at once. Wage,
, of common laborers are cut from 4f
to 40 cents an hour and wages of al
other employees reduced in proportion
= excepting those working on the ton
i mage basis or sliding scale which /.
not changed due to contracts between
5 the unions and the men, Approximate
e ly 1000 men are affected.
e Employees Of the reed chair de
J, partment of the Haywood Wake feel,
!, company, Gardner. Mass were mott
/ fled of cut of % per cent in wages
5 effective March /. The reed worker
2 are working on short time. The re
duction will affect 200 men.