Montana labor news., 1933-12-07
MONTANA POWER
REFUSES TO AD-
JUST WAGE SCALE
THEIR NRA
CODE
A. c. M. COMPANY
CHISELERS TAKE
HAND IN DISPUTE

HAND LIN DlDI OlL
On Monday noon of this week, the
members of Local No. 65, brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, walked off the
Job of the Montana Power Company.
The Electricians accuse the Montana
Power Company of failure to live up
to the NRA code signed by that cor
poratiOn. The Power company, pay
ing n dollars a month to their cleo
t~rieians failed to make an adjustment
of the wage scale as called for when
the Presidents Unemployment Agree
ment was signed by the Power Com
pany and their Blue Eagle obtained.
The Electricians sent a c~0mmunica-
ton to the local NRA Compliance
Board and issued the ultimatum that
if the local board could not secure a
fair adjustment, the electricians would
walk out. The electricians are out
which seems TO indicate that the local
board could do nothing with the
Power company.
A. C. M. CHISELERS TAKE
HAND IN AFFAIR.
The Delegates of the Electrical
Workers state that the Power COM
pany had agreed to adjust the wage
schedule, the electrical workers and
Power company splitting the differ
ence in wages, setting a scale of S1.05
per hour. When the chiselers on the
hill heard of it, they, through their
errand boys, the Chamber of Com
merce and Employers Association, re-
quested that the Power company re-
fuse to do this as it would set a bad
example. If the Power company raised
wages other workers would ask an in
crease when present contracts expir-
ed. The Power company then refused
to sign the increase in wage scale.
The chiselers on the hill are the rea-
son for the failure of the NRA in
Butte. They have adopted no code for
their industry and have been the sole,
large employer of labor in Butte that
has failed to sign the Presidents Re-
employment Agreement pending the
adoption of a permanent code. Yet
the executives of this corporation,
working against the Presidents Plan
for unemployment have charge of the
distribution of relief and the distri-
button of Jobs under the Civil Works
Administration. They place their
men on the public roll, and stop every
company wishing to comply with the
Presidents plan from aiding in paying
living wages to the employed. What
right has the A. c. M. to dictate to
the Power company as to the wages
they pay men not working for the A.
c. M? What right has an executive
from a company chiseling on the MIRA
TO any say in a Federal program for
relief of the unemployed when that
company is directly responsible for
the unemployment in Butte? These
are questions the electricians are ask
ing and are questions the public
should ask.
ELECTRICIANS REC We
STARVATION WAGES.
The Electricians maintain that S77
a month isn't a living wage for a mar
with family to support. There is nc
denying this fact. The A.. c. M. Co
has decided that from $50 to $50 a
month is a living wage for a miner
and fear that the miners will ask fol
an increase if an example is set in the
case of the Electricians. 1t is hoped
that the Butte public will rally to the
support of the electricians and other
unions who join with them in fighting
chiseling on the part of these octopus
corporations. This fight against un
employment is a patriotic duty for
every citizen to perform. 16 years
ago the workers of America and their
families answered the call of their
country at the cost Of their lives while
the corporations waxed fat off the
profits Of warfare. At present the
corporations are asked to answer the
call of their country at the cost of
little of their surplus profits. Al
present they are greater slackers thar
the men who evaded their duty in 1917
and should be treated accordingly. Lei
us make the Blue Eagle mean some
thing in Butte by doing our part il
aiding those who have the courage t.
fight now as they fought in 1917.
C-I nHzzA e D..lko