Montana labor news., 1935-06-06
STRIKE in
TRI-STATE DISTRICT
CONTINUED from Page D

tive OF our own choosing and in each
instance were refused by said opera
tors, and as this right was conceded us
by the operators in their own code,
and as furthermore, this should be the
right of every free American citizen,
we feel a very grave, unjust condition
has been forced upon us.
Whereas we feel our position is
sound as we have copies OF letters re-
fusing to meet with US on file signed
by the operating company; after re-
peatedly refusing to meet and bargain
collectively, a referendum vote was
taken Wednesday, April II, 1885,
throughout the district and carried
unanimously to go on strike May 9th,
at 1901 A. NJ.
As there are approximately 1000.
men on relief rolls in the Tri-State
District, the burden on the relief setup
here will be more than doubled and
unless some provisions are made to
take care OF the striking workmen, a
very serious situation will exist here.
The present relief system here is more
or less inefficient. 1t is absolutely in
adequate to take care Of the persons
already on relief.
Therefore, we are requesting you to
use every effort available to provide
means for the men on strike here. The
present relief allotment for the average
family is $40 per month.
The wages in this district have not
been anywhere neal adequate to sus-
tain a decent existence for the average
family. Wages range from 500 to
$500 per s hours, five days per week.
The working conditions are horrible in
various operations throughout the
whole district, especially the mines.
No two companies have the same diff
ferential OF wages in truth compared
with the cost of living commodities.
The men working are worse off than
men on relief. Prices Of living COM
modities have increased on an average
of 50 per cent to 90 per cent.
A large percentage Of the people
here live in novels worse than any city
s1ums ever witnessed. Not half enough
clothing or fuel for comfort, and it is
absolutely outrageous for anything like
this to carry on in this country OF
plenty.
The various mining companies are
~signatories Of the zinc code of fair
competition effective April 8, 1885.
Their unfair practice OF labor condi-
tons and wages have made a weird
Joke of their own code. The only labor
provisions of either the lead or the
zinc code adhered to by these COM
panies is the minimum wage. Pro-
visions Of the lead code, in regards to
the operators setting up a compliance
board within 90 days after the signing
of said code have been ignored. The
codes here are meaningless to labor.
After the strike vote was taken April
II, 1885, a Government conciliator
namely w. H. Rodgers, tried to APP
proach the operating companies and
was ridiculously ignored. We feel an
agreement signed by the operators and
our labor organizations is absolutely es-
sential for the practice of fair compe-
tition.
We are willing to meet at any time
with the operators and always have
been.
These conditions stated are facts
which any unbiased Investigation would
prove, and again We request you to use
every available effort to help these op-
pressed workmen and their families,
and that no discrimination against
strikers being placed on relief be al
lowed, which will surely be tried unless
your intervene.
We have on file in our District Of
flee one particular letter when a duly
elected Bargaining Committee tried to
meet with the Eagle Picher Lead Com
pany, Joplin, Mo, and the General
Manager, A. J. Smith, pointedly re-
fused to meet this group of six men as
a committee. Not only verbally, but
he put it in writing, making the broad
statement, "This has always been open
shop and always will be-" This letter
was posted on all the bulletin boards
in the plant.
The workers here are 100 per cent
American, white, and are very open
minded and willing to cooperate, and
this the operating companies have
taken advantage Of.
As per schedule, and while the strike
was in progress, the management of
the Joplin Plant Of the Eagle Picher
Lead Company placed a lockout notice
on the plant entrance gate, stating
"The Eagle Pitcher Lead Company will
cease operations indefinitely" singed
Leonard Vaughn, Plant Manager"
And as the strike was in progress,
and the posting of said notice being the
last action taken we feel that this is
more Of a lockout than a strike. The
Eagle Picher Lead Company, Joplin,
plant, is the only one taking this action.
Respectfully submitted,
PRESS COMMITTEE.