The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-18
Babson Discusses Labor
From Many ~Standpoints

Cnrist's Teachings that love for
one another is the only answer.
This strike, like others, has in
Graded a demand for more money.
mere ri various ways to get
more money, namely through
hourly pay increases, paid vaca-
tons, paid holidays, more over
time pay, etc. IL my talks with
strikers everywhere, however. |
find that the basic struggle nov
is over the question whether the
Union or the Owners are to run
the business.
The strikers take me around to
the stores, and show me the in
creased retail prices and l can
not help being sympathetic with
them for wanting more money.
Besides, these people, as a rule.
have several to iced and clothe.
while we and other stockholders
usually have only small families.
But when it comes to letting them
dictate the business policies, l am
fol the Owners.
The employers, ten, years ago,
paid these Fish Handlers so cents
per hour. Now they are perfectly
willing to pay practically double
this or $1.15 per hour; but they
cannot afford to pay $1.30 per
hour. In many instances, two or
three members Of the family are
working which gives an excellent
family income to the Fish Han
clers. The employers insist, and
I am sure they are right, that il
further pay raises are granted,
the retail price Of fish must be
increased. AS the retail price of
fish since 1910 has already dou.
bled in most stores, they ques.
ton whether people will eat SO
much fish if prices are further
increased. We all know that when
the BARRIERS raise the price of hair
cuts, their customers go a few
days longer between haircuts and
the BARRIERS are no better of in
the end.
There are two large Fish Unions
here. One is made of the Fish
ermen who go On the high seas
AND catch the fish. They do not
receive ordinary wages, but rath.
er a share of tine catch. Condi-
tons vary with different ports, but
usually about 40 per cent of the
catch goes to the vessel owners
and about 60 per cent is divided
amongst the crew and skipper,
with a special extra bonus to the
skipper which bonus comes out Of
the owners. Some expenses are
paid by the rev and other ex-
penses by the owners Thus, the
Fishermen are really on a ''piece-
work" basis. Moreover, it is hard
work and they are subject to "a
hour call.
When fish comes to the wharf,
it is sold through public auction
SO as to be fair to both the fisher.
men and the boat wners After
it has been purchased, the vessel
delivers it to the firm which is
to cut off the hesos, skin it and
fillet it. This work is done by
the Fish Handlers. the ones who
have been On a strike. They stand
in long rows by benches and the
fish come to them on belts. They
work very quickly and with much
car so as to get cut all the bones.
They prepare it for market.
From letters coming to me from
all parts Of the country, it is evil
dent that consumers want fish; al
so that if the price should be re-
duced, they would buy much more
fish. Hence, they wish the Fish
Handlers would agree to piece
work and be willing to be paid
according to what they produce as
are the Fishermen who catch the
fish. The slow workers might then
get only IS cents per hour; while
the fast workers might get $1.50
al hour. This would be fair to
ell people and especially to the
consumers, who read this column.
Every wage worker should re-