The Connecticut labor news., 1923-01-12
PLAN LEGISLATIVE MEASURES TO STOP
 BLACKLISTINC

One of the legislative moves con- templated by the Connecticut Fed eration of Labor, 1t was learned this week, is the. introduction of bill that will prevent the blackliseing of employees. The contemplated bill grew out of meeting, held in this city last Saturday afternoon, by District Lodge No. 22, International Asocia- ton of Machinists.
 E. C. Hotchkiss, business agent of the organization, in discussing the present so-called blacklsting laws stated that they have no teeth in them"
 We want law that will be real MT. Hotchkiss. We are also prepar- ing to introduce bill at the state legislature that will prevent employ CTS from keeping employees from bet tering themselves. That sounds rath- CT strange in these days when efic- iency demands congenial working conditions.
 "What l am about to say does not apply so much locally, although there are some instances in which 1t does; but in other sections of the state 1t is only too painfully true. When say that some employers keep men from bettering themselves 1 mean 1t this way:
 "Supposing man is working for one firm for 50 cents an hour and has an opportunity to better himself with another firm that has offered Go cents, and he serves proper notice on his employer that he is leaving their employ. He quits; but when he goes to the other place, offering bet ter opportunities, he is told that there is no employment for him. 1 am usI ing this as an example to lead up to the exposition of the force that brings about this condition.
 After the man has voiced his in tentions of getting through, his em- ployer will ascertain in one manner or another just where he intends to find employment, and immediately blacklist him at that place. It is this condition that we are seeking 10 overcome with the bills that will be presented through the State Fedora ton of Labor at an early session Of the state legislature. We will conduct statewide agitation for support in the legislature"
 It was also stated by Mr. Hotch- kiss that the machinist officials, at their meeting last Saturday, had de- cided to institute an Immediate cam paign for increased wages through out the state No particular amount was set as a minimum, but it Is ex- pected that the officials will arrive at that at the next meeting.
 "The minimum wage we expect to agitate for machinists throughout the state is 70 cents an hour," said MT. Hotchkiss.
 "Of course, different conditions ob tain in different localities. We expect that the minimum in some places will be 75 cents an hour"
 The organization of which MT. Hotchkiss Is the head has jurisdiction of all locals throughout the state with the exception of those connected with the railroad.
 Taking employment conditions among machinists as a criterion, MT. Hotchkiss thought that the business outlook of at least Connecticut was exceptionally cheerful.
 Less than five per cent of the members of our organization through out the state are unemployed at the present time," he said. Our crisis was in the spring of 1921 when some thing like 70 per cent of the machln- ists of the state were without work. The depression which began in Sep tember, 1920, brought about the con- dition that prevailed critically for more than year. The situation con- tinues to gradually improve, and as it looks now we hope to have all the machinists in the state employed by spring and under better conditions than ever before."