Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-07

The building trades unions 'have
| no desire to retard building. but they
are going TO hold their ground and
| to maintain to the utmost of their.
| ability the wage scales and condt-
tons which have required so many
years and hard efforts to obtain"
| writes William J. Tracy. executive
| secretary, building trades depart
ment. American Federation of Labor.
in the August issue OF the Miller
Builder Economist. published by G.
l.. Miller e. Co.
Mr.. Tracy said that the building
trades unions were enjoying "a Won
derful period of peace and pros
perity" and there is not single
building craftsman In the country
who cannot find a job at good
wages" His article follows:
international unions comprising
the building trades department have
added more than 10000 new members
since the first of the year and are
today enjoying a wonderful period
Of peace and prosperity.
Il cannot recall a time when affairs
in the building industry were running
more satisfactorily. This applies TO
both employer and employee. So
far as know. there is not a single
building craftsman In the country
who cannot find job at good wages.
All wage agreements that expired
during tho months of May and June
have been renewed, and most of them
at an increase over last year.
Building permits indicate that the
total for the United States this year
will pass the $4,000. 100000 point. the
highest ever recorded In the industry.
And modern methods OF construction,
measured by volume, durability. floor
space and efficiency of the workers.
make building operations today
cheaper to the investor than ever
before.
"In the Southern States there is q
greater amount of new building this
year than last. There has been no
slowing down In Florida with the
coming of Summer, and the opera
tions there continue on a vast scaie.
In the Caroiinas, Georgia, Alabama.
Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas
more new structures are under way
right now than at any previous time;
''AlI this means plenty OF work ana
increasing prosperity for that sectioii
of the country prosperity IN "nich
the wage earners participate IN
larger degree than formerly, because
they are better organized.
Cont on the Pacific Coast, partic-
u,arlv San Francisco and Los Angeles,
where boss contractors. at the urge
of big business and the banks, at.
tempted to inaugurate the 'socafleo
American plan of company I'M
ions,' open shops and low wages, the
building trade unions have success
fully weathered the storm and are
again writing regular wage contracts.
."rhe same is true in Chicago,
where 1t was sought to esta blish the
'open' shop under terms of the Lands
award Today the unions have con-
tracts there calling for a higher wage
scale than has ever hitherto pre-
vailed. OF course, the reason in each
instance is that the building craft
unions held their ground and refused
to surrender what they had gained
through years of struggle.
1.-THE building trades unions have
no desire to retard building. but they
are going to hold their ground and
maintain to the utmost of their ability
the wage scales and conditions which
have required SO many years and
hard efforts to obtain. Wage reduc-
tions are out of the question. Those
interests which are ciamoring to re-
duce wages or opposing reasonable
wage advances appear to fail TO take
INTO consideration ltldl oil VI TIC HAoh~
struction work now in progress or
which has been constructed during this
period of prosperity i'm the building
industry would be Immediately brought
down TO the level of cheaper construc-
ton if wage reductions and low labor
costs were to prevail. In order to
make the point clear, q building To-
Gated on a certain plot of ground, on
one of four corners, costing any
where from $l.000.000 to $5.000,000,
would only be worth the same amount
of money in actual cash as one that
cost 10, Is or Is per cent less, IL
wages of the building trades me.
chanics were reduced in proportion,
hence I fail to see the logic of the
financial interests. bankers and 9TH
ers. who at all times seem to insist
on low wages and oppose reasonable
wage advances.
Then again, the average building Is
constructed through Increased .ef-
f1ciency on the part of labor and
through modern building construction
methods, In approximately half the
time Of former years. which in itself
gives to the owners of the building
an opportunity to get the revenue