Evening star., 1926-11-13
REAL ESTATE


throughout the country are generally
holding firm and there is no indica.
eton Of any immediate widespread
downward revision of rates, according
70 a national survey Of the lobor con.
Gitions in the building industry just
completed by the building economic
research bureau of the American
Bond and Mortgage Co. Building
labor conditions are summarized as
follows:
% Rising tendency in labor costs
keems to be stopped for the present
1t least
C2) Building crafts plan TO maintain
wages and working conditions at
tained during building prosperity pc,
eiod.
fS) Common labor plentiful and sup.
ply Of skilled craftsmen adequate to
take care OF present construction, en-
cept in q few localities.
"a Bonus payments and practice OF
contractors bidding against each other
Tor men have practically disappeared.
(5) Labor fairly tranquil and little
Interference to building operations
from strikes expected this Winter.
t6) Building unions With largest
membership in history plan renewal
Of campaign for tive-day week.
"a Definite progress being made by
labor officia is in eliminating jurisdic-
tional strikes.
The building industry is now being
favored by n more pronounced tend
ency toward stabilized labor COSTS
said the survey. conditions of en-
ployment and labor rates generally
during the last 60 days have shown
but little change.
Some Small Advances.
Wage establishments reported have
been very small and in a majority OF
cases affected only a few Of the So
called 'ke~ trades, such as plasterers.
bricklayers and carpenters. In few
cities where building operations are
large they have asked and received
small wage advances. The majority
Of crafts. however, show a willing
ness to go along under present sched
ules. Few wage reductions have been
reported but there Is nowhere any
indication of any radical downward
revision.
while contractors in practically ali
the larger cities have decided against
higher wage rates, they are showing
disposition to cooperate with the
t>iildins trade unions and peacefully
adjust wage disputes AS a result,
labor conditions generally are quiet
and no serious troubles have hindered
construction. except in a few locall
ties, where an effort has been made
to establish the open shop. or the
unions are enca ged in interuniOn
strife.
Determine ion o: labor to maintain
Indefinitely the high cage rates they
have obtained during the last two
wears was expressed at the conVen-
tion of the building trades depart
ment OF the American Federation OF
Labor at Detroit. Mitn.. last month.
The building uni"GS unanimously de-
cided TO hold their ground. and main
tain to the utmos' of their ability
the wage scales ana conditions which
have reuuired - many Years or et-
fort 70 ehtain. Thev aiss declared
that wage reductions we're out OF the
question At this time.
Union Memberships Large.
THE largest membership in history
was ,'eported by the l6 national and
interna 'ional unions represented at
the convention. These unions. which
haze paid up membership OF 574.497.
gained 50. 592 new members during the
past ye.' This was the largest gain
reported In any enc year since the
buildings trades department was or
2anized in zoos
THE United brotherhood of Car
penters and Joiners. the largest build
ing trades union. which is not aftili-
etod with the building trades depart
meut. has a membership of 4o4.9l7.
having gained 39.924 members in the
last II months. The combined men,
hership of the II building unions af-
fliated with the American Federation
OF Labor now totals 979,401.
Union officials pointed out that ju-
yisdictional troubles are being salts
}actorily adjusted and greater solidar-
ttv than ever before prevailed within
the building trades organizations.
Notice was also served on the con-
ktruction industry that labor would
strive for a shorter work week. The
44-hour work week now prevails gen
orally throughout the country, and
there are few cities with a 4Shour
week In number of cities the eff
forts of the painters and plasterers TO
shorten the working week to 40 hours
has already been successful
Employers Resist Move.
Building trade employers are now
generally taking CognizanCe Of the
shorter work week movement and are
planning organized opposition. They
contend that the shorter work week
would add TO building costs and would
tend to further create an artificial
shortage Of labor
"Al building labor seems we'll en-
ployed, AID there Is an ample supply
Of skilled and unskilled mechanic. TO
meet present construction needs.
Bonus payments have entirely disap
reared. except in q few isolated local
ities. The demand for apprentices is
also reported to have suhSided, al
though high schools. universities and
frade schools throughout the country
continue 10 turn OUT considerable
numbers of new huildi;c "raftsnen.
"Tnd!catlons are that the seasonal
decline In building employment this
Winter VIII be less than in past years
unless unusually severe weather is
encountered This is due TO the fact
that builders are becoming better edu
rated and equipped to cope with ad
verse weather conditions and are ar
ranging their work in such y way as
to provide Winter employment.
Workers Adjust Differences.
Leading labor officials have Joined
sn an effort TO eliminate iuriSdiCtiona
disputes. which have been a continua,
source OF annoyance TO the building
industry for many years. The United
brotherhood of Carpenters and the