Montana labor news., 1932-09-15
Conditions at Hoover
Dam Declared Unfair

ing scales for similar work in the
territory adjacent to this project.
Owing to the large geographical
proportions of the undertaking work
men must put in eleven hours to gain
eight hours pay"
The committee said the refusal of
officials of the Six Companies to
obey the Nevada mining laws re-
suited in an excessive number of
fatal accidents, and that injured and
gassed workmen are given faulty
medical examination and diagnosis.
High Food and Shelter Charges.
1t was stated that rents for tenn
porary houses charged by Six Com
panies are 20 per cent higher than
the U. S. Reclamation Bureau asks
for modern dwellings, and that water
rates and garbage removal charges
are excessively high. Schooling ia
c~ilities were alleged to be so made
quate that many children are receiv-
ing no school education.
The brief declared that the Six
Companies charge their employees
S1.65 a day for board in comparison
with S1.35 charged by the U. S.
Reclamation Bureau and an average
Of 81 in the mining camps Of Ne
vada, and that the low wages compel
the workers to draw their pay in adj
vance of regular pay days. Six
Companies, it was stated, pay this
wage advance in scrip, and then re-
fuse to redeem the scrip at par.
Organized Labor Banned.
"The Six Companies have consist
emily refused to meet with or discuss
wages and conditions with repre-
s~entatives of labor" the Building
Trades Committee added. Labor
papers and pamphlets concerning or
ganization have been barred from
the so-called reservation, although
this literature has passed through
the United States mails. A system
Of espionage has been set up which
curbs the freedom Of speech and ac-
ton"
Federal Government Blamed.
The Building Trades Committee
condemned the U. S. Government
for its part in the ~deplorable labor
conditions of the Six Companies.
Legislation aiming at the prac-
tice of the government indulging in
labor contracts in direct opposition
to the prevailing wage law, with its
evident detrimental effect upon wages
and conditions, should be put into
effect. Investigation has disclosed
the fact that skilled building crafts
men have been paid as low as 81
per day by INSCRIPTIONS employers
with labor contracts with the govern
ment. The failure to post a list of
wage scales in the employment Of
fices places the worker at a dis
advantage, because he cannot bar
gain for wages until paid"
False Propaganda Published.
1.-THE publication of false and ex-
a%ggerated employment possibilities"
the Building Trades Committee CON
cluded, "has resulted in hardship
to those unfortunate in not gaining
employment and to this community,
which has to bear the burden of
feeding and caring for these un-
fortunates.
"In the past, investigating com
mittees have failed to contact the
worker. The contractors have mon
opolized the time and efforts of these
committees, and, in addition to an
open attack upon them, have al
ways taken steps to up and
becloud the issues.
Attention has been so directed to
the rapid progress of the work and
the magnitude of the project as to
detract from the actual conditions
under which the workers struggle in
the accomplishment of this progress"