The Connecticut labor news., 1924-03-01
Hartford Painters Will Arbitrate Refusal Of
 Wage Increase Demand
$ VI g g e s t Compromise { Waiving Raise of Five Day Week Is Granted After Employers Ex- press Desire to Con- tinue Closed Shop Re- latiOnS

hartIOrQ, MdTCn l-OOmprOmlSe Ol the threatened clash between The Painters Local Union No. 481 and the Hartford Master Painters Association over the union demands for five day week and $10 day wage will prob ably be avoided following the decision of the union on Monday night to sug- gest arbitration of the union demands and the refusal of the employers to grant it. According to Business Agent Thomas J. Cummings, suitable com promise would be the five day week and waiving the increased wage de- mands. It is believed that the employ CTS will agree to the arbitration sug gestion and an amicable arrangement will be arrived at .
 The most pleasing thing about the re- fusal if anything about refusal can be called pleasing was the manifest de- sire of the employing painters to cone tinue to operate as closed shop" de- spite the energetic campaign being waged here by certain interests through a morning newspaper to disrupt the unions and force the "open shop" in the building and all other trades. The that to grant the demands would only aid the "open shop" or non-union crowd and result in loss to the union painters. The painters at meeting Monday night saw the reasonableness of this statement and therefore sug- gested getting together and compro- mise. The master painters in their statement and refusal of the demands said:
 Tt is apparent to most any thinking person that the wages of the journey man painter are high enough to enable him to live in comfort and if inclined to do so save money. In fact, there Is no class of workmen i'll the building trades who get more for their labor than the painters. Compared with other trades the painter has to furnish very little in the line of tools, putty knife broad knife, overalls, jumper and duster are
 
 furnish brushes, sponges, ladders and staging, drop-cloths and many other necessary things for which no charge is made to the customer. In addition there is the expense for compensation insurance which is no small item.
 "The Master Painters association favor the employment of union painters and believe in the trade union principles but the demand at this time for more pay and a shorter week we firmly be- heve to be both unreasonable and un- warranted.
 Each closed shop employs mum Der of skilled workmen who, in some eases, cannot be paid their full value, because of the law made by the paint CTS union, that all painters, regardless of their worth, must be paid the same wage. This works a hardship on the skilled painter and destroys almost en- tirely the incentive for the unskilled painter to become better workman
 The association sent the following letter to the painters union.
 Painters & Decorators Local Union, No. 481.
 Gentlemen:
 At recent meeting of the Hartford Master Painters association operating union ships, it was unanimously voted to refuse the demand of the Painters union for an increase of wages to $lO per day, with decrease in working hours to five days per week, and to be- come effective April ', 1924.
 we believe the workmen are we'll paid at the present rate and any change to a higher wage will be detriment to the painting business. The public from whom we all get our living play an important part in determining how far the increase of the daily wage can be carried, for in the last analysis, con- siderable painting can be done by un- skilled labor, and much painting and decorating can be put off indefinitely.
 "The competition from the open shop is becoming serious matter, and if
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