Montana labor news., 1937-06-10
Increase Will Help to Increase
Purchasing Power of Commu-
nifty and Stimulate Business.
People Generally Express Pleas
ure Over the New Scale.

uTe ONST tnt NEW OCdtts
An agreement was reached by a
conference committee of the Clerks
Union and a committee from the
Employers Association after an all
night session on Friday, June 4,
which lasted from 8 p. m. to 4 a. m.
The clerks committee had formerly
refused to take back a 1914 per cent
wage increase offered by the mer-
chants in a meeting Thursday.
The new agreement provides an
nual vacation of one week to con-
tinue with exception of wholesale
clerks who will receive so cents
higher increase in wages than the
retail food stores. The settlement
ended a three-week strike. The
Butte Clerks Union voted unani-
mously to accept an arrangement in
volving a general Is per cent wage
increase and the old conditions as to
hours and working conditions.
On Saturday evening members of
the union assembled It 8 o'clock at
the Miners Union hall on East Park
Street and dispensed with the bust
ness at hand in about half an hour.
Negotiations between the Clerks
Union and the Employers Associa-
ton were carried on for several days
prior to the strike vote taken by the
union at the Miners Union hall May
Is.
An offer of a 10 per cent wage
increase was rejected and the strike
became effective on the following
Monday morning, May II. Nearly
800 members OF the union were af-
fected. Also about IA members of
the Transfers Union from the whole
sale district.
The previous scale of wages in
the contract of May, 1886, was $28.75
per week for men and $40 per week
for women, and in the textile divi-
sion, 5000 per week for men and
$21 per week for women employed
as foodstuffs clerks. A scale was
also prescribed for deliverymen,
jewellers, lady filters in alteration de-
partments, linoleum and carpet lay
ers. The scale was for the 42-hour
week, eight holidays and one weeks
vacation with pay.
During the strike some smaller
stores were open with the proprie-
tors, their wives and members of
family taking Ear of the trade. This
situation was presented by the clerks
as a grievance to the employers and
which it is hoped will be eliminated
in the future.
E~ighty-five stores not members of
the Employers Association operated
under an agreement that they would
pay whatever scale and hours final
ly agreed upon by the Employers
Association and the clerks, r~etroac-
tive from May l, according to a joint
statement issued by the union and
employers. Proprietors handled the
work in drug stores. Filling station
employees were not affected by the
strike.
Mayor Hauswirth was instru-
mental in bringing the committees
from the clerks and employers to-
gether. He sat in with these repre-
sentatives during the negotiations.
Representatives of both the clerks
and employers expressed apprecia-
ton for the mayors service.
The wage scale will be increased
by Is per cent over the present scale
with the exception of the wholesale
clerks who will receive an increase
from 5000 to $35 per week.
Clause 8 in the present agreement
in reference to retail drivers will be
modified so that there shall be only
one deliveryman driving a three
quarter ton truck to work for the
junior scale of $21.85 per week or
$94.70 per month.
The contract is for a period of two
years ending May l, 1889. Hours
and working conditions provide tex
tile stores shall open not earlier than
$50 a. m. and close at $50 p. m.
with one hour off for lunch. Food
stuff stores shall open not earlier
than 8 a. m. and close not later than
Continued on Page g.