The Washington times., 1927-01-08
BUILDING LABOR.
DEFENDED ).

least, 10 warrant OuuukuB du0 Imam
cial interests in postponing colttem
plated construction projects" in TIKI
opinion Of william J. Tracy secre
tary.treasurer Of the building trades
department Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor.
In an article on the Building
outlook for 1927" published in the
January issue Of the American
| Builder Economist, Mr.. Tracy says
that high wages had not retarded
| building but had been stimulant Il
national prosperity. He urged bet
| ter building and said that labor fully
realized the importance Of co'opera
ton with capital, adding:
Throughout 1897 1t will be my
purpose to do everything that Ii
| humanity possible toward creating 9
feeling OF sincere friendship and har
mony between financial and banking
interests and the building trades de-
partment Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor.
when it Is considered that con
struction Is one Of the greatest fac
tors OF our national wealth - that
building Is preceded only by agricul'
ture, among the industries OF this
1 country-it behooves all OF the va
rious elements, either directly or in.
directly identified with the construc'
ton industry, TO use every honorable
means to promote it's influence and
prosperity. This Is duty which
should be shared equally with the
financial interests, which supply the
capital Sthe architects, the engineers.
the contractors or builders and the
Building material interests.
AIMS OF BUILDING TRADE -.
1--WE, Of the building trades, stand
for a better building program; for
improved building laws and codes
TOR the protection of the investing
public and homo owne.; for the
legitimate builder; for the skilled
and qualified mechanic; and, as a
guarantee against inferior workman
ship, for a safe, sanitary and dur
able building erected by. master
craftsmen. Naturally, We do not ia
Vor cheap construction or so-called
'hurry.up' jobs, for arter their com.
pletion these prove. unsatisfactory
to their. unfortunate owners, are
constantly in need Of repair and, in
short, are a menace to the .entirs
building industry.
I'VE are opposed to destroying the
morale of our mechanics, who have
apprentices in order to become mas
ters Of their. trades, by permitting
interruptions employers to compel
them to install or erect work in an
inferior manner. Fortunately such
employers are in the very small
minority. We are as much con-
cerned about the mechanical and
trade skill Of our membership as
the minister, the priest or the rabbi
is about the morals Of his congre-
cation.
''The executive council of the
building trades department has
asked the cooperation Of the affili.
ated international unions In the Inn.
portant matter Of vocational educa-
ton and apprenticeship OF the
young men actually working at the
building trades. Instead OF restrict.
ing apprentices, we. want TO supply
the industry with as many new
workers. as the different elements
will absorb.
PRODUCTIVITY ON INCREASE !.
1.-The building trades have been
wrongfully accused Of limitation OF
output. There is ample evidence
that the productivity OF the build.
ing worker Is constantly increasing
and during the last year it has been
an important faItor in keeping
down the cost Of construction.
The building trades employers
view Of the Building Outlook fol
1927" was expressed in the Amer
lean Builder Economist by A. w
Dickson. executive secretary of the
National Association of Building
Trades Employers, who stated that
another great year Of building &C
tiVlty Is In prospect for 1897, II
organized labor will assume a
reasonable attitude and not attempt
to further increase costs by agita'
ton for wage advances and the
five-day week.
''The public is firing Of high build.
ing costs, due chiefly to labor'S con
tipued demand for increased wages
and restrictions on production" said
Mr.. Dickson. "Unless building wages
are stabilized or reduced to a more
moderate level" he continued, "there
will be real slackening in building
and labor will find that 1t has
killed the goose that layed the
golden egg and before long will be
olamoring for more work and an
opportunity to make a living.
Neither wage increases nor the
five-day week will be permitted to
gain Roadway in 1927 If it is within
80 kHA hvNi1a{vNnw $vsod
employers Of the country to prevent
It. The employers feel that lower
costs are necessary to stimulate a
sufficient volume Of building to
keep the construction industry on
a prosperous basis and the workers
well employed.
'sThe building trades employers
are not trying to crush the build
ing unions and have no desire to
do so. They want to cooperate
with labor and bring about a period
Of sterilization in the industry that
will be beneficial to the country as
whole and all interests. concerned.
This. however, can only be done by
mutual cooperation.
"The building trades employers
have signed agreements with labor
unions in many of the largest cities
and in q number Of the smaller
towns throuGhout the country ex-
tending the majority Of present
scales to 1928. This should be an
insurance against further wage ad.
vances during the coming year.
Careful and thorough analysis
based on prevailing wage rates and
general conditions throughout the
United States. with the proper con.
sideration given to all the elements
which should be considered, fails