Montana labor news., 1932-06-30
SHOWN IN ENFORCE.
MENT OF MONTANA LABOR LAWS

To the delegates of the Montana State Federation of Labor in convention
assembled:
The constitution of the Montana State Federation of Labor requires that
its president shall make an annual report, covering the work of the past
twelve months, with suggestion a to those things which would seem to be
beneficial to the organization and to labor in general.
The past twelve months have been strenuous ones to the labor movement
The contractors on the Veterans hospital at Fort Harrison, near Helena,
and the postoffce in Helena have done all in their power to lower the
wages OF laborers n mechanics violated trade rules and usages and VIC
lated the federal prevailing rate of wage law of March 8, 1881. We have
protested these violations to the Department of Labor at Washington, D. C,
and to u representatives in Congress.
The Department of Labor sent Mr.. Robert Pnkington, n of its repre-
sentatives, to Helena to investigate the violations. This gentleman has
made a very complete Investigation lasting over six days, and reported the
results o Washington. Up to this writing, no report has come from Wash
ngon as to the findings. While we have received adjustments in the
violations of trade rules and some minor grievances, yet the larger viola
tnns have not been corrected.
The complaints against the contractors or federal work Violating the
in other states are suffering from the abuses of the contractors just as We
have in this state. The only remedy for this situation is for congress to
pass a law abohshing the private contractor o public works and for the
federal government to construct all the public buildings by day labor.
Bozeman Cannery.
Within the past eleven months efforts have twice been made to reach a
settlement Of the Bozeman Canning Company trouble. The first meeting
was arranged by Nh. A. H. Stafford, labor commissioner who acted as chair
man of the conference The officials of the canning company expressed a
desire to have the boycott lifted from their products, but refused to recOg-
nMe the union; therefore n 0 settlement was reached. The canning COM
pany reduced wages last summer almost 25 per cent.
The last convention ordered the Cascade Trades and Labor Assembly
to take action against two of their members for unbecoming conduct. The
matter has been satisfactorily settled, the two individuals being n o longer
members of the Assembly.
Since the last convention efforts have been made t. organize the IN
organized, and build up the movement where our Unions are weak.
Organizers paid by the State Federation were placed in Billings in an
effort to organize the laborers, teamsters and retail clerks. Considerable
assistance has been given to the Culinary Workers in Livingston, where a
bad situation exists. A union of the retail clerks vas organized in Boze-
man and an effort is now being made to organize the flour mill and elevator
workers in the Galatn valley.
An effort was made to strengthen the Labores' Union of Helena. In
this city the Building Crafts show much hostility toward organizing or
supporting the existing Building Laborers' Union. Attention has been
given toward organizing the Lumber Workers of western Montana, and as
soon as employment opens up again in the woods, a strong organized move
ment Of Lumber Workers will be formed.
EightHour Law.
Within the past IA months eight highway contractors have been fined
by the courts for violating the eghthour law. Violations of the eighthour
law on the public highwas have been a common occurrence. While we have
prosecuted contractors for the violation of the law and have been able to
enforce the eghthour law in certain localities, yet the law is being VIC
lated generally and with impunity, and very often with the approval of
elected officials whose duty it is to see that this law is Obeyed.
Had the elght-hour "a been enforced on the highway construction work
in this state last summer and fall, at least me thousand more mn would
have been employed, and that many less would not have been dependent
on charity.
The highway commission and the governor are responsible for this o n
tinual and malicious violation of the eight-hom law. The state highway
engineer could stop the violation if he wished, but there seems to be no de-
sire o the part of any n connected with the highway commission to do
that which they arr sworn to do-obey the law.
Not only is the eghthour law being violated but the prevailing rate of
wage and home labor law is a huge joke, as far as the highway construction
is concerned.
An effort should be made to have the next legislature investigate the
conduct of the highway commissioners and the highway engineer in allow
ing these wholesale violations of the law by contractors, and also a investi-
cation should be made IS to the price the state is paying for the work
done, as well Is the conduct of the entire highway department, The diff
ference in price paid the workers employed on highway construction and
the price paid by the state to the contractors is too great
When a highway contractor cn sublet his contract to a contractor in
Texas, who in turn, can afford to ship all his men, mules and machinery
from Texas to Montana, and does all the work required by the contract
and, when the work is finished, is able to ship his men, mules and ma
chnery back to Texas, it is time for the people of the state to make
inquiries about the highway contracts.
By all means, let us have a thorough legislative investigation.
Court Decision on disqualification.
The hospital clause of the Workmen1s Compensation at has been the
cause Of much dissatisfaction among workers who con under Plan One
OF the act, IN account OF the Interpretation of the law by doctors and hos
pal lawyers, and who have exploited the law to their won benefit.
The Butte Stationary Engineers Union made a test case for N of
their members who had been injured The as was carried through the
justice and district courts to the supreme court, and the supreme court
judges gave a unanimous verdict in favor of the injured worker.
The Interpretation of the supreme court of the hospital clause of the
Workmens Compensation Act is a very liberal one, and clarifies the stu
alton This removes a source of much grievance and irritation among the
workers Furthermore, tn decision OF tn supreme court paves the way,
when industrial conditions return to normal, for a mutual understanding
and cooperation between employer and employee Of disqualification of the
workers.
Continued next week.