The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-02-22
FOUL CONDITIONS
PREVAIL IN MIS-.
SEWER BUILDING
SIN Urge Communist Vote
at Milwaukee Polls
(Rv a worker Correspondentl

(By a Worker Correspondent.
MILWAUKEE, (By MaiD. - The
work of sewer construction is dan
gerous, unhealthy and results in many
accidents and deaths.
In the city of Milwaukee conditions
Of the tunnel workers have not i'm
proved On the contrary, wages are
cut and the speed-up system intro
duced as will be seen from the fol-
lowing:
Wages
1926 1927
Tunnel miners, S1.1212 and up $1-.70
Muckers. .85 and up 10
Top men, rs and up IS
The wage cut was put into effect
by the Clayton Construction Co., in
November of 1927. This firm handled
the construction of 5 tunnels at John
son Woods.
Similar cuts were effected in the
open-cut sewer construction and open
ditch sewer work. The wages for open
cut sewers We're in 1926. S5c and up.
These figures held good for about
70 per cent of the workers. In 1927
they were from $50 to SITS. The
same firm, the Clayton Construction
Co., profited by these cuts. These
figures hold good for at least 70 per
cent of the workers. The Holton Con-
tractors and Wenzel & Hammock also
profited by the above mentioned wage
cuts.
Speed-up System.
The speed-up system in tunnels
works as follows: A picked gang of
five is put to work under most favor
able conditions. They are promised
bonus of 75c a day in addition to
their regular wages of S1.10. From
time to time they are shifted to other
places. After they work for while
in a new place, and set a record of
high production another gang is called
upon to replace them and is being
constantly driven to maintain the high
record without getting any bonus.
As every worker will realize, the
speed-up system is another form of
a wage cut.
Accidents, Health Conditions.
The speed-up system leads to in
Vulnerable accidents resulting in in
juries and deaths for the workers.
The health precautions are neglected.
The rate of death and sickness
among the workers engaged in tunnel
work in Milwaukee is much higher
than in Detroit or New York. Con-
ditions in this respect are so appalling
that a state commission was set to
work recently to investigate the health
conditions in tunnel work of our city.
While workers are crippled, are
loosing their health and even lives,
the contractors grow fat on the sweat
and blood of the workers. Many a
eockroach contractor grew into mil
lionaire executing sewer and other
forms of construction for the city.
The workers of Milwaukee must de-
mand that the city of Milwaukee
should carry out itself its construc-
ton problems. This would eliminate
the fat profits which are being reaped
by the contractors and will enable the
city to pay higher wages to the tun-
mel workers and to secure for them
adequate health protection and safety
measures.
Socialists Indifferent.
The socialist officials of our city
proved themselves Indifferent to the
splight of the tunnel workers.
The socialist party caters to the
business men. 1t brags of the fact
that there are no labor troubles in
Milwaukee. But the workers cannot
improve their conditions without a
struggle. The socialist party prides
itself in the fact that it is able to
paralyze the struggle of workers for
better conditions and is able to Sc
cure for the capitalists peaceful" ex-
ploitation of their workers.
The workers of Milwaukee need a
more militant leadership if they are
to turn Milwaukee from biggest
open-shop city into trade-union
stronghold. In the coming municipal
elections the workers of Milwaukee
should support the candidates of the |
{No,.1,apc (Coy,, n, t1,,;c+A Dou+.,