Twin-City herald., 1940-03-02

Local OLA OF the Hotel and Restaul-
ant Workers Union established an
all time precedent when their eighteen
months struggle to force the Curtis
Hotel management to live up to the
contract negotiated in 1893, ended in
victory. AS result OF this settle
ment the wages of the Curtis Hotel
walters have been equalized with those
of white walters bringing about an an
nual increase of $4,000 and the pay
ment of back wages to the amount OF
$780, This smashing victory is sig
nificant, not so much because of the
back wages secured, as in the fact that
the payment of differential wage to
Negro workers in this industry in Min
neapolis becomes thing of the past.
TIE history of this struggle dates
back to 1882 when the walters at the
Curtis were organized into local OLD.
At that time the union negotiated a
contract with the hotel that brought
about an increase in wages from $1,000
per month to $500 per month. This
was a significant gain not only be-
cause of an increase in the wage scale,
but also because, for the first time in
the history of the hotel walters were
assured a difinite income. On the old
basis of $1,000 per month, the hours of
work were staggered in such man
ner that few men ever received a
check for $1,000.
In 1888 two year contract was put
into effect. The monthly wage was
increased from $500 per month to
$4,000 per month for regular walters.
The banquet scale was set at $l,25
which represented an increase oi
twenty-five cents over the previour
year. A scale of $4,000 per month was
established in the 1885 contract, with
an increase in the banqnet scale iron
$1.25 to $1.s0
! More serious difficulties were en-
countered in 1887 when the union de.
manded wage of $3.50 per monti
for regular walters and banquet
scale of $l.50 and $1.75 for luncheon
and dinner respectively. Notwithstand
ing the strenuous objections presented
by the hotel management it did OBJ
serve all phases of the previous con
! tract.
:, In 1888; however, the hotel began ;
program of sabotage as means o
evading the various stipulations of it
contract with the union. This con
tract established scale of $62.50 pc
month and eight hour day. Thi
meant that all regular walters woul'
work only two meals day with com
pensation for overtime in excess of g
hours computed within a period O
two weeks. The banquet for luncheol
was increased from $1.50 to $1.75 fo
three hours work., The evening ban
quet scale was set at $3.50 for fou
!. hours and fifty cents per hour there
after. Extra walters to be paid fort
cents per hour with minimum G
three hours guaranteed. Meals an
J linen furnished all men while on dut,
hotel never complied with the stipu
lations of this contract it was result
J mitted in 1889 and determined driv
was launched by local Ola to brin
} the hotel to terms.
In Minneapolis the Hotel and Re:
taurants Workers Union places hotel
in classes A, B, or c according to til
amount of business they do and i
negotiating contracts the wage seal
varies according to the hotels classif
cation The Curtis, although rated 3
class A hotel, refused to pay til
scale on the grounds that it was til
only hotel in the city employing M
4 groes, and therefore it should be er
q titled to pay differential wage. Nun
erous other subterfuges were advance
a to substantiate this position. Loc
Ola under the dynamic leadership
g A. B. Cassius realized that its stat,
: as union would be seriously jeopa
4 died as long as this differential was
: scale existed. The matter was fir
: taken up with the local Joint Board
: the Hotel and Restaurants Worke
u Union which agreed to support Il
: Negro walters in their demands. A
ditional support came from 9th
unions reresented at the hotel, namel
: Miscellaneous Workers Union, Cool
h and Walters, Painters, Engineel
: Electrical Workers, Plumbers, u