Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-24
BriCkIayers, Carpenters and
IronWorkers Seek
New Scale.
OTHER GROUPS NOW
WORK UNDER SYSTEM
Builders Association Members
Consider Proposals, With Dis
pute Held Unlikely.

Demands for a f1ve-day week for three
of the larger and more powerful union
building trades organizations-the brick
layers, carpenters and iron workers.
have been laid before contractors, it
was revealed today.
Adoption Of the shorter week plan
for these building trades would make
the five-day week virtually universal in
the construction field in Washington,
it is pointed out Most other union
building trades groups of the larger
order already are working under this
system. If the bricklayers, carpenters
and iron workers obtain the shorter
week, the vast majority of construction
workers would be included in the plan
and universal adoption of the system
would soon follow, both labor and con-
tractor spokesman say.
Fight Danger Held Negligible.
Members of the local Master Builders
Association now are considering the
proposals of the union leaders and are
expectedssoon to enter into negotiations
with the building tradesmen. It apr
peared doubtful today, however, that
the demands for the shorter week would
precipitate serious fight between labor
and contractors.
The five-day week demanded by the
three unions would be effective May /.
The bricklayers are demanding a five
day, 40-hour week at the rate of $14
a day. They now are receiving S13
day for 44-hour week. Thus they
would receive $3.50 less per week but
would work four hours less.
Similar wage proposals are under
stood to have been made by the car
penters and iron workers, under the
five-day week plan. Thus, while there
is no move directly for any notable
change in the rate of pay per hour, the
building tradeSmen affected would get
approximately the same in wages per
week for four hours less work.
The iron workers now are getting
81 IS per hour or 1920 per day and
the carpenters are drawing SIPS per
hour or $40 per day The exact wages
sought under the five-day week pro-
posals could not be ascertained today.
Unions in Field Listed.
Unions in the construction field here
now employed under the five-day week
include the plasterers, plumbers, steam
filters, electricians, painters, asbestos
workers, elevator constructors, fathers,
bod carriers and sheet metal workers,
1t is reported by Clarence E. Young,
secretary of the Building Trades Coun:-
Gil. In addition. the hosting engineers,
now on the five-and-a-half-day week
normally, enjoy the f1ye-day week when
working with those building trades
which are employed under the shorter
week plan. The sheet metal workers
have obtained an agreement for the
f1ve-day week, but this plan as yet has
not been placed in effect, it is pointed
out by Mr.. Young
With the bricklayers, carpenters and
iron workers brought into the five-day
fold, it is pointed out, but a negligible
number of union building tradesmen
would remain on the longer week
schedule of hours.
The short week schedule has been
gaining ground here steadily. Recent
~ one of the more active building or
CARNATIONS here voluntarily ordered the
five-day week on its construction
projects.