The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-01-19
JeweIry Workers
Union Signs Up the
NY. Silver Shops
FortY-Four Hour Week and
Minimum Wages Coined
By AFL Athlete

strike the Amalgamated Silverwork-
ers Union, Local No. SO, of the Inter
national Jewelry Workers Union, af-
filiated with the American Federation
Of Labor, negotiated a closed shop
agreement with the sterling silverware
shops in Greater New York with
which union officials and members are
well pleased.
Confronted with documentary evil
dence that the union represented a
majority of the employees in the fac
tory production departments, the en-
ployers recognized the union as the
exclusive bargaining agency in all ne
gotiations or differences that may
arise during the term Of the agree
ment.
Broad COverage Provided
! The agreement covers the following
groups Of employees, who are required
to be union members: Silversmiths,
spinners, polishers, chasers, stampers
! Except stampers Of trade marks
machinists, tool makers, grease buff
fers, sand buffers, platers and en-
! gravers.
The following employees are not re-
quired to be union members: Office
help, office and factory clerical work
ers, stampers Of trade marks, pickle
boys, working executives, boys doing
messenger and errand work, and all
employees who do not work at the
bench or machine.
Closed Shop Established
By the terms Of the agreement the
employers agree to employ no one but
union members, except those in the
exempted groups. The union agrees to
the best Of its ability to furnish the
employers with all the union help they
require. In case the union is unable
to do this within AS hours after the
request for new employees is made,
| the employers are authorized to hire
such help in the open market with
the provision that workers so hired
shall make application for membership
| in the union within two weeks after
the commencement of their employ
ment, with the stipulation that the
union will not refuse to admit such
workers unless they have been guilty
of strikebreaking and unless they
have been expelled for violation of
union rules.
The 40-hour five-day week is estab-
lished with time and one-half for Sat
urday and holiday work and double
time for Sunday work The follow
ing days are defined as legal holidays:
New Years Day, Lincoln's Birthday,
Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day,
July Fourth, Labor Day, Election
Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas
Day.
Minimum Wage Rates Fixed
The minimum wage for journeymen
mechanics is fixed at 81 per hour un-
less otherwise agreed to, with the pro-
vision that the wages of journeymen
mechanics receiving more than 81 per
hour when the agreement was signed
shall not be reduced and that the
wages of journeymen mechanics re-
ceiving less than 81 an hour shall con-
tinue at the smaller amount until an
adjustment is made. If no adjustment
is arrived at the controversy is refer
red to arbitration.
Helpers are paid minimum wage
Of 40 cents an hour. The minimum
wage for apprentices on the basis Of
the 40-hour week is 40 cents per hour
during the first year of apprentice
ship, 45 cents during the second year,
50 Y cents during the third year and
so cents during the fourth year.
All piece work done by engravers is
based upon the minimum hourly rate
of 81.
All home work is prohibited.
In order to mitigate unemployment
the agreement contains a provision
that there shall be an equal distri-
button of work during slack periods.
Arbitration of Grievances
SO that there may be no chiseling of
union wages and work conditions the
agreement provides that the employ
ers shall not sell merchandise to any
manufacturing employer in the same
industry against whom a strike has
been declared by the union, with the
added stipulation that the workers
shall not be required to perform work
on orders given to the employers by
other manufacturing employers in the
same industry whose employees are on
strike.
With regard to grievances the
agreement provides that they shall
be taken up and adjusted between the
employer and the shop chairman. If
settlement is not reached in this
manner the grievances are referred to
representatives of the employer and
the union. If the matter in dispute is
not adjusted within As hours it is re-
ferred to board of adjustment, con-
sisting of an equal number of repre-
sentatives of the employer and of the
union, the decision Of the board being
final and binding upon both parties.
LOckouts and Strikes Prohibited
The strike and lockout prohibition
contained in the agreement reads as
follows:
"The parties hereto agree between
themselves and for their respective
members, officers and agents, that for
/. r L r. L. IL