Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1919 — SHIP STRIKERS WARNED BY U.S. [ARTICLE]

SHIP STRIKERS WARNED BY U.S.

Will Be Policy of Government “to Let Job Stand/’ Says Director Piez. NEED A BREATHING SPELL Director General of Emergency Fleet Corporation Fefers to Tieup at Seattle —Wages to < Go Down. Washington, Jan. 31.'—It will be the policy of the government in shipyard strikes to “let the Job stand," Charles Ptez, director general of the Emergency Fleet corporation, said. He referred particularly to the situation at Seattle, where, he said, men had been out for a week, and at San Francisco, where he said It was referred workers in two trades intended to go out shortly and tie up all the work in the district. Mr. Piez declared most of the yards needed n breathing spell, that he did not think the government would continue to furnish work at extremely high wages unless Increased skill and output Justified It, and that in his view it was highly urfwlse for shipyard workers in their own interests to call strikes at existing scales. Wages Up; Output Down. “Most of the yards need a breathing spell," said Mr. Piez, “and an opportunity to go over their organization with a view to eliminating production factors which have tended to increase costs. How greatly the costs have been Increased is shown by the fact that in one Pacific coast yard, typical to some 1 extent of the general situation, now give each worker $1.70 for putting in the same time that he would have been given $1 for a year ago, while In the same period the average output of work per individual is only 70 per cent of What it was a year ago.

“In an Atlantic coast yard, that I have in mind, workmen today receive $2 for putting in time that brought them $1 a year ago, and the average output per individual has dropped in the same period GO 2-3 per cent of what it was one year ago. % "Combining this decreased efficiency with the increased wage, the result lias been to make ship construction costs entirely unreasonable. Some contracts for ships have been already canceled by the government. In my view, the present temper of congress and its attitude toward ship construction makes It highly unwise for shipyard workers in their, own interests to call strikes existing wage scales. No Pay Boost by United States.

“In 'Seattle, where the men have been out a week, the demand is for $1 an hour pay as a minimum for all workers In the, yards, skilled, semiskilled or unskilled. Ido not think that the government will continue to furnish work at extremely high wages unless it is justified by the increased skill of the workers and the increased output per man that high wages ought to bring.”