Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-12-07
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I \ PLEA FOR THE UNDER
! DOG.

The 1928 calendar wiIl soon b.
turned 70 the wall and up 10 =.
present time, organized labor in ~,
Twin Cities must surely aeknowledgs
II has been the best year for III
crafts they have ever experienced.
new contract and working agree
ment with perhaps some new waeF
| scales are being considered bv ~
different crafts who are members III
the Building Trades Council. rbe
present wage scale Of the different
| crafts, skilled and semi skilled. are
not IN need Of any very great revision
but there is one branch OF labor thai
should receive the whole-hearted an
unqualified support of the skilled
crafts IN any attempt they may make
TO get an increase over the 1923
scale, and that IS the class spoken af
as common labor. The spread between
the common laborer's wage scale ana
the more skilled worker is too great
since the cost of sack Of flour and a
bushel of potatoes is the same for
each, and the laborer's sixty-five cent
dollar buys no more food, clothing
and shelter than the skilled craftsman
does.
One thing that should be given close
attention when the 1924 contract is
written and that Is the overtime clause
which all crafts carry in their bylaws.
Why not do away with all overtime
sections? 1t doesn't put any more
money in the workers pocket when
the job is finished and is a continual
cause of friction between the em-
ployer and the worker. II it is con.
sidered best TO continue overtime
clauses in the contracts then those
responsible for drawing up the 1924
contract should see to ii that the over
time matter is given specific atten-
ton, making it clear so there will be
no loophole for slippery superintend-
ents to crawl through.
Another question that should be
given attention and that is the habit
some superintendents have of putting
labofers to work at class of work
that comes under the jurisdiction of
one of the higher paid crafts. This
should be taken care of in the new
contract and if it is found il can not
be eliminated altogether, then it
should be so arranged that the laborer
should receive the scale covering the
class of work he is told to do.
1t would be a good thing to do when
the new contract is written, to follow
up the provisions laid down in Article
Nv of the 1923 contract. This was
not done in 1928. Clause four, Arti-
Gle ", should be acted on this next
year without fail. The time limit of
" hours to get the conference board
together should be reduced one half.
To you men who belong to the COM
mon labor group, want to say, wake
up after the 1924 contract and wage
scale agreements are signed up and in
force, study them over carefully so
you become thoroughly acquainted
with their provisions and understand
what your rights are~--then stand up
like a free born citizen of the great
est nation on earth and demand those
rights to the fullest measure.
To you men of the skilled and semi
skilled crafts, want to say in the
making of the new contract for 1924,
give the common labor your first and
earnest consideration. He is just as
important a factor in the successful
construction and completion of the
building as you are. After the en-
gineer has the stakes set, he is the
first man on the job and until it is
finished he is there doing his part and
generally under conditions that are
very different from the conditions you
work under, but his part must be
done to make ready for you.
Brothers, give the under dog your
best support in the 1924 contract.
i. II. G..