Montana labor news., 1939-07-13
CINCINNATI PRESENTS
UNION BUILDING PLAN
By l. M. ORNBURN
Secretary Treasurer Union Label
Trades Department, American
n-I-..s-. r -

Trades Department, American
Federation of Labor.
Cincinnati is setting a fine example
for all other cities in America. It
has a building program, known as
the Robal Housing Project, which
is 100 per cent union throughout.
Every worker is a member of the
Building Trades Council of Cincin-
natl and every piece of material used
in the well-constructed and unique
enterprise is union-made.
The Robal Housing Project was
started to meet the demand for
union-built homes. The residence
contractors who employed both
union and non-union tradesmen
went into bankruptcy in 1881 when
home buying was at a standstill. In
1885 when home building started
again, union men would not take
jobs because the wages paid to non
union workers were much lower
than union rates. The non-union
built homes were picketed. Union
workers were successful in prevent
ing the purchases of unfair dwell
ings but failed in their organization
drive because no homes were being
built under union conditions. They
were continually confronted by
prospective home purchasers with
the question, where can I buy a
union-built homer"
To meet this demand for union
made" homes, j.. J. Hurst, president
of the Central Labor Council, and
Fred Hook, business representative
of the Building Trades Council of
Cincinnati, requested of the Build
ing Trades Council authority to pro-
mote the building of union-built
homes by union workers themselves.
To these two men great credit should
be given for the entire project.
Harry Price, an outstanding engi-
neer and architect, who had built
some of the finest homes in Gin
cinnati and also had assisted in the
government housing program, was
employed as "consultant. He entered
into the spirit of this unique enter
prise with great enthusiasm; pre-
pared sketches of plans; and drew
up specifications.
Many Building Trades unionists
loaned money and desirable sites
were selected in good subdivisions.
Three homes are almost completed
and are continually on display so
prospective purchasers can see the
workmanship and material that goes
into them.
The homes will sell for about
$4,000 and are built with materials
and equipment that can be found
in homes that cost $4,000 and more.
The public can judge for itself the
style, construction, copper piping,
plumbing as well as the improved
methods of heating, insulation and
wiring.
The dwelling will include details
such as clothes poles, hooks, mail
boxes, and house numbers. Even
the ~landscaping of the grounds,
sodding, seeding, block top drive
ways and walks will be completed
for the new home-owner.
The plan, according to Jack Hurst,
is not a socialistic move because all
work is sublet to union contractors.
It is a cooperative plan through
which union employers and union
workers combine to build homes,
sold at cost" for those who desire
skilled workmanship and the highest
quality of materials. 1t has estab-
lished a precedent in the real estate
circles of Cincinnati that has aroused
considerable speculation but the
union-built homes will be no gamble
for those who buy them.
Better have failed in the high aim