The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1942-02-25
WhGE-H0UR ACT
IS DEFENDED BY
Miners UNION
Workers Adopt Resolution
Protesting Attack by
Juneau Chamber

Asserting that the Federal Wage
Hour Act works- no hardship on
mining operations in Alaska, Local
209 Of the Juneau Mine &. Mill
Workers Union today published a
resolution protesting the recent -ac-
ton Of the Alaska Mining As
ISOLATION and the Juneau Cham
her of Commerce in attacking the
law
Full text of the resolution fol-
lows:
WHEREAS. The Alaska Miners
Association and the Chamber OF
Commerce have renewed their at
tack on the Wage-Hour Act, and
the enforcement of it, resorting to
such excuses as the war situation,
the high cost of supplies, shortage
Of labor and what have you, claim
ing that the law is working hard
ship on the mining operations.
which we know is not true, and
WHEREAS This attack on the
Wage-Hour Act and its enforcement
agency at this time is merely an
attempt to use the present world
conflict as o smoke screen to block
enforcement of said law; and to
secure a complete exemption of the
entire Territory from it, if possible,
and
WHEREAS: The arguments set
forth by the Alaska Miners AS
ISOLATION and the Chamber of Com
merce, are contrary to the facts
IN the matter; as the law does not
prevent the employer from work.
ing his employees long hours, but
merely compels him to pay over
time for excessive hours worked:
nor does the increased cost of sup
plies reduce the increased cost of
living or transportation for the
mining employees in Alaska; or
that overtime pay for excessive
long hours worked will discourage
labor from seeking employment in
the mining industry, as the Al
aSka Miners Association and the
Chamber of Commerce are trying
to make some people believe. when
the opposite is actually what the
law will accomplish, and
WHEREAS, The Wage Hour Act.
so far, has not been enforced in
Alaska, except in one or two in
stances, while several violations of
said Act are about to be tried by
competent Court. which may re-
suit in overtime pay resolutions and
future compliance, which is no
doubt the basic reason for the
attack on the Wage-Hour Admin
lstrator and his staff, and
WHEREAS: The usual labor hat
ing tactics of the Alaska Miners
Association and the Chamber of
Commerce, have been; when un-
able to block labor legislation from
BENG enacted to attack its en-
ioreement agency by their usual
unfair accusations in order to pre-
vent labor from actually receiving
such protection as the law intend
ed to give, and
WHEREAS: The resolution re-
Gently adopted by the Alaska Min
ers Association and concurred in bv
the Chamber of Commerce, is
merely a symbol of the greed and
sedlshness, and REPETITION of the
true anti-labor attitude by the well
organized Alaska distinguished spe-
clal interests, and
WHEREAS: This selfish. unfair
and unustified attack on the Wage
Hour Act, its Administrator and
ms staff, by the Alaska distin-
eushed special interests and sub
sldlarles, must not pass unchal-
lenged by Alaska labor
THEREFORE, BE 1T RESOLVED:
mat we the membership of juneau
NINE and Mill Workers Union. Lo-
ca mo. 203, of the International
Union OF Mine. Mill and SmeIter
workers. hereby condemn the re-
cent attack on the Wage and Hour
act ana It's Administration, by the
Alaska Miners Association and the
Chamber Of Commerce. as unfair
unustlfied, vicious. anti labor in in
tent and purpose, and
BE 1T FURTHER RESOLVED.
mat we hereby most emphatjcallv
urge the Wage and Hour Division
protection and its fearless enforce
ment of the law, and
BE 1T FINALLY RESOLVED.
mat copies of this resolution be
sent to the Hon. Col. Fleming
Wage-Hour Administrator. to the
secretary OF the u S. Department
q Labor: TO the Hon. Anthony j
Dlmond, Delegate from Alaska. tc
the Governor of Alaska; to all
labor unions in Alaska, and re-
leased to the newspapers. The reso-
luton was adopted February %.