Montana labor news., 1950-11-23
PLUMBERS EXPLAIN new PLUMBING
CODE IN BUTTE

Joint or dresser coupling on all OF
lis gas piping. So we leave II to YOU.
Just what type OF material you may
choose III your work.
The most recent sore spot is the
TACT that Mr.. Sullivan and Mr..
Dave Reese. secretary OF the Butte
Development Association, along
with Mr.. Murphy and Mr.. Sund-
berg visited the meeting OF the
Plumbers Union on Monday
ing. Nov. Is. and requested admis-
sion to the meeting to discuss the
: ling code and its interpreta-
- - working rules of the
Unr.
The mat,> taken up by the
Union and the employers OF It's
members. We informed the COM
mittee that we would be willing to
admit the employers but saw no
sense OF discussing our conditions
with Mr.. Sullivan or Mr.. Reese and
we then admitted Mr.. Murphy. own
or OF the Murphy Plumbing Co., and
Mr.. Sundberg, owner of the Sund-
berg Plumbing and Electric Co.
They mentioned that they had no
discussion to place before the Union,
but did request that Mr.. Sullivan
be admitted to discuss a matter of
work on his projects. This we re-
fused to do as our conditions would
govern the public in general and
must be i'll mutual accord with all
Of our employers and no special dis
pension could be given to Mr.. Sulli-
van which would not be considered
to the other home owners OF the
City.
Had Mr.. Sullivan wished some
changes i'll materials to be used on
his work, the matter should have
been taken up with all Of the en-
ploycrs doing such work for him
and they in turn made the request OF
the Union. We feel that through
this procedure any change which
could be agreed upon by the Unioi
and its employers would be reached
and Mr.. Sullivan could have very
easily gained his point.
Mr.. Sullivan further remarked
about the increase which the Unioi
received and which he stated wa.
for working an eight (S) hour day il
/ lieu Of our regular six (6) hour
work day. 1t may have lapsed til,
memory OF Mr.. Sullivan that al
agreement was signed in May, l949
between the employers and the Tn
ion. and this was at the request 0
the New Industry Committee Of thu
Butte Chamber Of Commerce, o
which Mr.. Sullivan was a very &C
tive member, and was not to expir,
until Dec. 81, 1850. This agrcemen
carried a clause whereby the seal
would be increased upon the cos
OF living as certified by the L. s
Dept. OF Labor, Bureau Of Labo
Statistics. This was eligible upo
this clause. Our agreement ais
carried a clause that six Co hour
would constitute a days work an
any other time would be paid at ov
crtime rates. In contradiction t
Mr.. Sullivan's statement, our EN-
ployers sent a communication I
the Union in September. which re
questcd the consideration Of workin
a longer work day. Our committe
met with our employers and it wa
agreed TO work a longer day durin
the present demand for plumber
and ii was also agreed that we WEI
entitled to al increase of our sea
D in compliance with our agreemer
The change in longer hours ";
mutual agreed upon and no owe
! time rates were paid. Many person
I, will remember how Mr.. Sullivan al
others made a splurge last sprii
i to have the crafts work an eie
hour day but to little avail.
Mr.. Sullivan plainly shows i
+ feeling to Unions when he mcntio
oil the use OF the Taft-Hartley Act
force any working person to do t
st work he wishes to have done. Y
would like to know just how far \
a Sullivan thinks this well-kno,
labor law can reach. but we
,c know he will not gain any POI
IL by any force he endeavors to use
st We trust that we have enlighten
our readers on the situation a
ty whereby certain individuals ha
I'd tried to gain their desires at the c,
II OF the public in general.
ne Butte Plumbers Union,
ch Local No. al.