Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1904 — LABOR NOTES [ARTICLE]

LABOR NOTES

The entire coal mining population of the world —'that is, the miners—numbers about 2,069,500. The death rate among miners from lung diseases is much higher than in any other occupation. Cotton weavers' in Japan are said to be paid 7d for an 11-hour day. Glass makers earn 4d for a 10-hour day. The report of the secretary-treasurer of the Switchmen’s Union of America shows that more than $300,000 has been paid out to members within the last three years. New York building operatives have decided that deceased members of the unions Shall be buried only In coffins made by union hands and bearing the union label. There is now a movement on foot in Montreal as well as throughout the Dominion, to create a body with similar objects to the Civic Federation of the United States. It is reported that there is a movement in Australia for a six-hour day, at the same wages as now paid for eight hours. This is said to be a remedy for the unemployed difficulty. The United States Steel Corporation has planned to compensate it* employes for suggestions that will increase the consumption or reduce the cost of manufacturing its products. A student of the population of the anthracite region of Pennsylvania reports that there are 030,000 people inhabiting that region, of which 430,000 are foreign born. Of this latter number over 50,000 cannot read or write. Trade unions in the United States are strongest in the manufacturing and mechanical pursuits. In these pursuits there are engaged 7,112,989. But the total of trades union membership amounts to only 35 per cent of this number. Preliminary stepsUlboking to the establishment of a free State employment bureau have been taken at Minneapolis, Minn. A measure providing a bureau will be drafted shortly, for presentation to the Legislature at its next session. On the growth of the Brotherhood of Locxunotive Firemen the last year the following figures are given: Membership, July 1, 19U3, 48,508; July 1, 1904, 54,434—a net increase of 5,800 tne last fiscal year. Fifteen new lodges were organized in the last six months. In the case of its-20,000 employes and the Republic Iron and Steel Company, at Ashtabula, Ohio, the board of arbitration, appointed to adjust the wage dispute, hns decided upon a decrease ranging from 2 to 13 per cent. The skilled men will suffer tne most. The New Zealand Labor Court has fixed for shoemakers a minimum of 22V& cents au hour, forty-five hours to be a week’s work, overtime over forty-seven hours to be paid time aqd a quarter. Preference of employment to unionists, and the percentage of boys employed to be one to four men. Secretary Morrison of the American Federation of Labor reports that of 1,032 unions making returns to headquarters to Aug. 1, having a membership of 85,450, the unemployed were 1.6 per cent. I# the preceding month 1,891 organizations with a total membership of 80,822, reported 5.1 per cent of the membership without employment. A new organization of mates, with nearly 400 members, is being perfected at Cleveland, Ohio, the movement having started nt Buffalo. It will take the place of the defunct Masters and Pilots’ Association. No captains will be included In the new organization. William Abraham, member of the British Parliament for tha Rhoddua Valley division of Glamorganshire, and J. WJgnall, two prominent British labor lenders, have been elected by the Trades Union Congress recently In session in taeds to represent the congress at the coming labor conference in this country.