Montana labor news., 1934-11-15
Monaghan Urges Action
AT Fort Peck

III AOAONAiS NOAiAAiAAhAtahACiio oiO
the action Congressman Jos. Monaghan
is taking to secure justice for workers
on the Fort Peck project:
Butte, Montana,
September LIST, 1884.
Hon. Joseph P. Monaghan,
No. 81 Owsley Block,
Butte, Montana.
Dear MI. Monaghan:
On July 10Th, 1884, a requisition was
sent to the local unemployment office
for five hod-carriers from Local No.
$50 to be employed at the Fort Peck
Dam at Sl.20 per hour. We five, as
members of that Local, reported at the
Local unemployment office and were
given Instructions to report to the
Glasgow unemployment office not
later than July 2lst. We complied
with the instructions and were given
approved credentials and hired for the
Fort Peck Project to be employed
there for McClurg & Miller. On our
arrival Mr.. Miller informed us that
their order had not assured us employ
ment at that date and that he could
give us no idea as to when he would
employ US. To this we protested Wig
~orously and told him that his orders
requested that we report for work at
this date. He then told us to report
for work July 23rd at 7 a. m. This we
! agreed to and when we reported he in
formed us that our wage would be 60
cents per hour and not $1.20 which was
the amount guaranteed. us at Butte,
and also stated that that scale was
specified in his requisition. This we
refused to accept and returned to
Butte. Stopping off at Glasgow, the
men in charge of the unemployment
office there assured us that his requisi-
ton has requested us to report for
work on July 21st and that no wage
scale was specified other than our
Local scale. This also was verified by
the manager of the Butte re-employ-
ment office. While in Glasgow we
filed protests with the NRA repre-
sentative there and with the Butte
unemployment manager but have
heard nothing from them. Now we
are submitting these facts to you in ar
effort to secure your aid and advice in
making to the proper authorities, what
we consider a rightful and just claim
involving our transportation to and
from Fort Peck, amounting to $1,000
plus reasonable incidental expenses in
Cured.
We thank you for your time, for any
consideration which you may give this
matter and for any adjustment which
may be made with us through your eff
fort.
In apologizing for our imposition
upon your valuable time we remain,
PAT LEE,
JAMES MANNING,
PETER DAILY,
HUGH TOOMIG,
JOHN BYRNES.
U. S. DEPARTMENT. OF LABOR
U. S. EMPLOYMENT SERVICE
WASHINGTON
November 3, 1884.
Honorable Joseph P. Monaghan,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. c.
My dear Congressman Monaghan:
Immediately upon receipt of your
letter of September 10, | requested the
State Unemployment Director for
Montana to investigate the statement
made by certain OF your constituents
who were referred to the Fort Peck
project as bod carriers.
l am now in receipt Of a reply from
MI. Bridges wherein he states that the
superintendent for McClurg and Miller
Company phoned on July 10, request
ing five hod carriers at the union scale
Of wages. When this order was con-
firmed in writing by McClurg and
Miller, it was stated therein that the
wages to be paid we're only sixty cents.
In his report Mr.. Bridges states
further that under date of July 10, a
telegram addressed to the Helena Of
flee and signed by Mr.. J. S. Johnson, a
former employee of the National Re-
employment Service, requested five
hod carrier, union men, experienced in
tending plasterers, union wage. 1t
would appear that the contractors were
at fault in stating that they wanted
union men at the union scale, and our
Glasgow office merely relayed the in
formation from the contractor. When
the desired workers, who were referred
from the Butte office, arrived at the
Job, they expected to receive, and did
demand, $1.20 per hour. Mr. Bridges
states that the contractor refused this
demand but Offered to pay them eighty
cents per hour. They refused to work
at this rate and returned to Butte.
In this connection I might add that
the National Unemployment service
has no responsibility or authority in
matters which involve wages paid to
workers employed on Public Works
projects. When a work order is re-
ceived, it is presumed that it is sub
mitted in good faith, and that the con-
tractor will pay the workers referred
to him in accordance with PWA wage
scales.
As requested, | am returning the af-
fidayit which you attached to your let
ter OF above date.
Very truly yours,
WALTER BURR,
Associate Director,
National Unemployment
Service.
Owsley Building,
Butte, Montana,
November 10, 1884
Hon. Harold L. Ickes,