The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-03-02
Chicago Employees
Benefit BY A. r. [.
Pact With Hearst
Higher Wages. Longer Va.
cutions, Perpetual Renew
al Clause. Included


the c. |. O. Chicago Newspaper Guild
walk-out of Dec. S against the Eve
ming American and the Herald and
Examiner, brought things to climax.
The management Of the American
signed contract with the Chicago
Editorial Association, an affiliate of
the American Federation of Labor,
for editorial employees of that news
paper, and the employees of both news
papers joined together in movement
to put stop to the wrecking efforts
of the Guild.
A contract had previously been
signed with the management Of the
Herald and Examiner. The American
contract dates from February 3, 1889,
to Feb 2; 1910, and continues in effect
from year to year, subject to the Wag-
ner National Labor Relations Act, but
can be re-opened prior to the end of
any fiscal year of the agreement with
60 days written notice by either party.
Provisions of Agreement
Don DeMichaels, chairman of the
negotiating committee Of the Ameri-
can chapter, Chicago Editorial Associ
alton, A. F. of l.. Local 2169O, says of
the contract:
"We have cracked several prece-
dents set up by the c. |. o. Guild in
its past agreements designed to bene-
fit the largest group of dues payers
at the cost Of smaller groups.
"We have obtained recognition Of
the reference room librarians as an
integral part Of editorial work and
have obtained both raises and better
scale for them.
eve have obtained recognition of
night workers rights to higher
scale.
"We have obtained recognition of
the right to higher scale for en-
ployes with five years of service, some
of whom may have been deprived Of
such income boosts in the past
through no fault of their own.
1--WE have established the right of
longer vacations for longtime en-
ployes, where such can be given with
out additional expense, for the first
time.
"We have set up program of arbi-
tration designed to prevent future ten
sion and upsets, and the constant peril
of wage loss due to unjustitied and IL
legal strikes.
"We believe that our perpetual-re-
newal clause (Which can be eliminated
at any time on a years notice., is the
best assurance of receiving justified
contractural benefits ever provided in
a labor contract. 1t is Theodore
Roosevelt big stick which is ever
handy to influence favorable consider
alton and which we hope never to have
to use. No worker wants to strike If
he can improve his conditions peace
fully.
"We have brought back the editorial
department into the A. F. of l.. fold
from which it was stolen by c. l. O.
plotters on A. F. of l.. payrolls, an act
committed against the wishes anc
judgment of the real majority"
Larry Kelly, president of the Chi.
cago Editorial Association, said of the
contract:
"The arbitration clause is an i'm
portant advance. There is also ne
danger of the present leadership Of
our union ever forcing the worker:
out of their jobs without democratic
vote of the entire membership ant
without first making every possible eff
fort at peaceful settlement Of dis
putes."
Block Scheme to Destroy Papers
Even while the negotiations were
: going on, another movement wa!
gathering force. Its first evidence
: was originated by members Of tn
5 American Herald and Examiner chape
: of Chicago Typographical Union No
l6.
: The compostors, had been becoming
more and more incensed with the eff
, forts of the striking Newspaper Guile
< to pull out advertising and hurt cir
2 culation. Past experience had taugh
them that the less business a pape
l did, the fewer situations it could pro
t vide for their union members.
On top Of that, they were gettini
e more and more angry at being calle'
"scab' by hired pickets, put on tn
e picket line by the line Guild for "tw
U bits and hot coffee"
:, The compositors got up messag
e addressed to advertisers and readers
: calling attention to the fact that tn
: persons signing were A. f. of l.. mem
+ bers, working under union conditions
: and patronized advertisers in the tw
: papers.
The idea spread. In short tim
a every department Of the two paper
(. clamored for chance to sign and par
+ ticipate in the message. The hundred
y of names, representing every union i
U the papers various divisions, are
q forceful answer to the lies spread b
e a handful Qess than 250) Of Guilds
: men, someof whom had been employe
less than year.
c. l. o. Falsehoods Exposed
n At the same time, other depart
l. ments, which had been irked equal
k as much by the attempts at dt
IS struction, began talking of fightin
L back The compositors' statemer
started something. Each union d.
L