The labor advocate. [volume], August 28, 1915, Image 1

About The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
The Labor Advocate
INDEPENDENT
NON-PARTISAN
t
A PAPER FOR ALL WHO TOIL"
Official Organ of the Building Trades Council of Cincinnati and Vicinity
Vol. III. No. 19
CINCINNATI, OHIO, AUGUST 28, 1915
One Dollar a Year
(
L
L .
I
IV i u
r
ii
i
- j
C
& ts
Ohio Workmen's
In Grave Peril.
Presents
- Labor Demands Safety First
for the Workers if Injury
(By Thos. J. Donnelly, Sec.-Trcas.
O. S. F. of L.)
Following the passage of the compul
sory workmen's compensation act by the
Eightieth General Assembly of Ohio,
there was passed the act providing for
an Industrial Commission, and trans
ferring to it, among other powers, all of
those previously exercised by the State
Hoard of Awards under the voluntary
workmen's compensation law. Organ
ized labor favored this law, believing
that the grouping of all the State .de
partments having to do with laws affect
ing labor would prove economical, in
crease efficiency and promote safety in
industry. This commission, having
brought before it claims for awards for
injuries under the compensation act, can,
and docs,makc a record of the injuries,
how received, etc. This furnishes data
upon which to work for the greater en
forcement of laws pertaining to safe
guards upon machinery, etc., and to pro
mote and conduct safety campaigns
among both employers and employes.
Not alone this, but through its Factory
Inspection Department it is enabled to
prevent many industrial accidents by in
sisting upon the proper observance of
safety laws in industrial establishments.
Assisting in thisi campaign of safety
has been the Industrial. Commission's
. system of""-fixinjratcs for Workmen's 1
compensation insurance. Hits has re
sulted in a reduction in the number of
accidents, their seriousness, the period
of invalidity, etc., bringing smaller cost
to the employer and greater safety to
employes.
Under tiic liability insurance compan
ies' method of conducting this business
for profit, there is no incentive to pro
mote safety campaigns or demand a
strict enforcement of all laws requiring
safety devices, guards, etc. Rather
would the inclination be to let these
things take care of themselves, figure
the percentage of accidents and assess
a like premium upon the careful and
careless employer in each industry.
Labor demands safely first, and then
compensation for the worker if injury
is suffered.
The insurance companies have the mis
taken notion that labor is only concern
ed in the principle of compensation.
.By preferential rates, or by penaliza
tion, accidents are reduced. This is the
State plan. A flat rate for all employ
ers in a given industry, regardless of the
percentage of accidents of the individual
employer, is the liability companies'
plan. Under this plan the law of aver
ages is worked with a vengeance, and
there is no escape therefrom for the
careful employer. The insurance com
panies fear a loss of profit in the pre
ferred rate.
It is just this difference in systems
and motif that enables the State to fur
nish workmen's compensation cheaper
than the insurance companies.
Speaking upon this question of rates,
the Industrial Commission of Ohio, in
a pamphlet issued July 1,1915, says:
"The larger liability insurance com
panies, known as the Conference Com
panies, have issued a manual of Work
men's Compensation Rates for Ohio. It
will be noted that the liabil
ity insurance company rates are just 201!
1$. & O. HUVS KQUII'MKXT.
Baltimore. The Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad announces that it has placed
contracts with several steel mills for
17,000 tons of steel rails and with car
manufacturers for 1,000 steel hopper car
bodies for immediate delivery. The ma
terial will cost about $1,000,000. These
orders supplemented contracts placed
last month for 2,000 steel hopper cars
and 500 passenger cars costing approxi
mately $2,500,000.
UNIONISM? OIjI) KIKM.
Hannibal, Mo. The Hohucs-Darkin
Cigar Company has reached an agree
ment with the Cigar Markers' Union
This firm has been doing business for
nearly fifty years.
Compensation
Sec. Donnelly
Startling Statistics
and Then Compensation
is Suffered.
per cent of the Ohio State insurance
rates.
"Tin's simply means that, if the Ohio
employers had not been protected by the
State Insurance Plan and, instead, had
been compelled to have purchased their
compensation insurance from the liabil
ity insurance companies, they would
have paid these companies $2.;i for
every $1.00 they have paid into the Ohio
State Insurance Fund.
"The Ohio employers have paid into
the Ohio State Insurance Fund to date,
in earned premiums, $4,:iG:i,004.i:i. This
means, therefore, that had the Ohio em
ployers been compelled to purchase their
compensation insurance from the liability
insurance companies, as over the period
dating from March 1, 1012, to May IS,
1!)1.", that instead of having purchased
the same from the State at a cost of
$4,:i('S,!)04.i:i, it would have cost them
just 2.1)3 times $4,:io:i,004.i:), or $12,780,
2.'li).10. "In other words, the Ohio State insur
ance plan to date has saved the Ohio
employers the difference between $12.'-
78G,2:s;.io and $4,:m:i,04.i:i, which is $8,
422.X14.07. "The foregoing figures indeed furnish
material for sober reflection for the very
definite reason ihat they do not repre
sent a tneory, nut a tact.
I Iiese -0guresrer-irm;mnjrrMOiVi
ever, they represent by no means an ex
ception. The Massachusetts Insurance
Department has recently issued a renort
covering the period dating from January,'
una, to uctoher, l!)i:i. Tins report
shows that the liability insurance com
panies collected from the Massachusetts
employers, as over this period, $7,451,
72:i.()0 in workmen's compensation insur
ance (earned) premiums. The injured
employes of the Massachusetts emplovers
received just $2,805,700.00 of this amount,
the liability insurance companies absorb
ing the remaining $4,380,017.00.
"It would be interesting to know just
what the liability insurance companies
would have done with the excess of
$8,422,:i:i4.()7 which they would have
collected from the Ohio employers had
it not been for the existence of the Ohio
State Insurance Plan.
"The liability insurance company
agents would have received $2,557,247.82
of this amount, as their commission for
getting the business, which is one great
expense the Ohio State Insurance Plan
has eliminated.
"The salaries to home office officials,
rents, adjustment expenses, etc., would
have absorbed an additional $2,557,247.82
of this amount, thereby making a total
expense for operation of $5,114,405.04,
"The Industrial Commission of Ohio
is operating the Ohio State Plan at an
annual cost of less than $200,000.
"The remaining $:i,:i07,8:i!).:i:i of tiiis
$S,422,:i:i4.07 would have gone into the
coffers of the liability insurance com
panies. "As it is, the Ohio State Insurance
Plan has made it possible for the Ohio
employers to keep this $8,422,:n4.07 in
their pockets."
These figmes shov: in part why the
insurance interests have been so active
at Columbus. They are enjoying good
picking in some other States and the
Ohio law is a menace to them and their
exorbitant profits.
STKKI
CAK STK1KI0 KNDS.
Ilolyoke, Mass. Street car em
ployes in this city have returned to
work after a nine days' strike, caused
by the company's refusal to accept a re
adjustment of working schedules. The
company finally agreed to the men's ar
bitration plan, that provides for the ap
pointment of a third member of the
board by Governor Walsh.
SKAMICN IN CONVENTION.
San Francisco. The recently enacted
seamen's law was given much consid
eration by the convention of thelnter
nationil Seamen's Union, held in this
city. Delegates and officers reported
that the organization is in a flourishing
condition.
Formation of
Labor Day Parade
Decided Upon at Meeting of
Committees Pageant Prom
ises to Be Largest Ever
Held Here.
The Labor Day parade promises to be
one of the largest ever held in Cincin
nati. The line of march and the forma
tion of the parade were officially decided
upon at a joint meeting of committees
of tiic Building Trades Council and the
Central Labor Council, and a report
made at a meeting of the Central Labor
Council in Teamsters' Hall. After some
discussion tiic council deemed to ap
point a committee to assist the Park
Commissioners in arranging for tile mu
nicipal picnic on Labor Day.
The procession on Labor Day will start
at !) :.10 in the morning at Findlay and
Race streets and will proceed south on
Race street to Twelfth street, to Main
street, to Fifth street, to Walnut street,
to Fourth street, to Plum street, to Ninth
street, to Walnut street, to Court street,
where it will be reviewed by the Grand
Marshal and his staff and then disband.
The formation of the parade follows
Police.
Grand Marshal, Two Asristants anil Staff.
Automobiles of Central Labor Counc'l.
Automobiles of liuilding Trades Council.
Automobiles of Trades Union Label League.
Hand.
Kscort of Private Policemen Union, 1.1130.
Delegates of the Central Labor Council
And liuilding Trades Council.
FIRST DIVISION.
Forms on Race Street, North of Findlay Street
Facing South.
. Division Marshal and Staff.
llrcwery Laborers, Jlranch 1.
nanu.
llrewcrs' Union, 12.
Hand.
llottlcrs and llotlle Deer Drivers Ui. n, -109.
Hand.
Street Car Men's Union, 027.
SECOND DIVISION.
Form on Findlav Street. Kast of Kace Street,
Facing West.
Division Marrhal and Staff.
Hand.
Ilakers' Union, 213.
Hand.
Steam Fitters, 392.
Drum Corps.
Sheet Metal Workers, 141.
Coppersmiths' Local 03.
Hand.
Iron Workers, -14.
Hand.
Moving Picture Operators, 103.
Hand.
Chester Park Carnival.
THIRD DIVISION.
Forms on Findlay Street, West of Kace Street,
'Facing l!ast.
Division Marrhal and Staff.
Hand.
Hoot' and Slice Workers' Union, 222.
Hand.
Hoot ami Shoe Workers' Union, 210.
Hand.
Hoot and Shoe Workers' Union, (IS.
Leather Workers ini Horse floods in Carriagcr.
Hoisting Engineers, 114.
Axle and Forgers' Union, 42.
FOURTH DIVISION.
Forms on Klilcr Street', Kast of Race Street,
Facing West.
Marshal and Staff,
Hand.
Garment Workers, 100.
Garment Workers, 00, in Automobiles.
Shirt Workers, 151, in Automobiles.
Hand.
Journeymen Harbors' Union, 10.
Hutcher Workers. 232, in Automobiles.
Hand.
Cigar Makers.
FIFTH DIVISION.
Forms on Klilcr St., West of Race, on North
Side of Findlay Stiect Market'. Facing Kast.
Marshal and Stall.
Hand.,
Teamsters' Union, 108.
City Laborers, 14S00.
Hand.
Teamsters' Union, 100.
Hand.
Teamsters' Union, 08.
Hand.
Teamsters' Union, 11).), in Automobiles.
SIXTH DIVISION.
Forms on Kldcr Street, West of Race, South
Side of Findlay Market. Facing Kast.
Marshal and Stall.
Hand.
Painters' District Council No. 12.
Hand.
Painters, f,0.
Upholsterers' Union No. 50.
Laundry Workers' No. .r7, in Automobiles.
American Flint Glass Workers No. 37.
SEVENTH DIVISION.
Forms on Green Street, Kast of Race Street,
Facing West.
Marshal and Staff.
Hand.
Printing Trades Council.
Hand.
Typographical Union No. 3.
Printing Pressmen No. 17.
Cincinnati Press Assistants No. 11.
Paper Cutters No. 140.
Granite Cutters No. 1.
Drum Corps.
Firemen's Union No. 40.
Tobacco Workers' No. 25.
Police Automobiles.
Building Trades Council Wins
Important Legal Dicision When
Judge Tarbell Gives Oral Opinion
Master Plumbers' Association, of Portsmouth, Ohio, At
tempts to Dissolve Building Trades Council, but Court
Rules Every Point at Issue Against Plaintiffs.
Portsmouth. Ohio. Aug. 24. Organ-:
ized labor won a victory in the local
common pleas court this afternoon when
Judge J. V. Tarbell, of Georgetown, in
an oral opinion, dismissed the petition
of the local Master Plumbers' Associa
tion to dissolve the Building Trades
Council of this city and permanently to
enjoin the members front interfering in
any way with the plaintiffs.
Every point at issue was decided
against the plaintiffs, the Court holding
that the working agreement between the
two organizations was not unfair to the
plaintiffs since they had ratified it know
ing its provision ; that the alleged unlaw
ful acts ot the defendants did not con
stitute intimidation or coercion ; that la
boring men have a right to organize into
unions, and tliose unions to . alhliatc,
A a
with a central labor body, and that em-
ploycrs had the right to hire and dis-, party defendants : carpenters and join
chargc without reason and the employes ers Union .ot America, Local 43. : liro
to work or quit without cause, so long thcrhood of Painters, Decorators and
as neither of them is bound bv contract. ' Paperhangers of America. Local oj
The suit grew out of the unsuccessful
attempt last April of the Master Plumb-
,o' Aoo..:..(: tr. ;,i.. ;,...,.
plumbers to modify certain provisions of
tiic working agreement wincli still nau
two years to run.
T , , -, r, r .1 1 .
Judge A. .. Blair, for the plaintiffs,
announced that an appeal would be taken R M & p y of America: t-,e ports
to , the Court of Appeals. The appeal , n, ,,,;., -rWes Council oi
bond was fixed at $100.
clioTasTsfeiiT attorney for tlieBiiiiilT
ing Trades Council of Portsmouth, O
makes the following statement :
"In the month of Anril the Master
Plumbers of Portsmouth. Ohio, formed
as association and affiliated themselves
with the Employers' Association of that
eitv. These Master Plumbers each had
a contract with Local Union No. 577 of
that city, which contract began May 1,
1914, and was to expire April. 1017.
"It was the usual trades union agree
ment, fixing the hours of labor, the con
ditions, etc., and providing for $1.50
wages per day, from May 1, 1014, to
April Ito, 1015, and $4 per day thereafter.
In other words, oil the first day of May,
1015, each union plumber to receive an
increase of fifty cents per day according
to the contract signed by both parties.
"In order to avoid this increase of
wages, it seems that these Master
Republican Administration Again
Denounced by Building Trades
Council, at Regular Meeting
Firemen Again Painting Engine Houses and Plugs, Con
trary to Agreement of Twelve Months Ago.
At the meeting of the Building Trades
Council Thursday evening, the present
administration was again denounced as
being absolutely unfair to union labor.
The speeches came as a result of the or
der to city firemen to paint all the fire
plugs an J engine houses within the city
limits, thus taking away a source of
revenue from the men who gain their
livelihood in the painting trade and plac
ing the responsibility of expert work
manship among a class of city employes
who know absolutely nothing of the
painting trade.
The Administration does this, not
withstanding the fact that a year ago
they made an agreement whereby they
1n,mrl tlinll1C,1viC lltinil tlt( 1)HS1; flf VPT-
bal promises not to permit city employes
to do tne worK which suouiu rigiiiiuny
be done by union labor, and the present
complication is taken up by the Build
ing Trades Council as an action unfair
to the organized working men of this
city.
DKMANI) lMtHVAlIilNO KATH.
Toronto, Ontario. Local machinists
have complained to the department o(
labor at Ontario that certain manu
facturers of war munitions arc paying
less than the prevailing rates.
Plumbers of Portsmouth formed the as-
j sociation above mentioned, and declared
la lockout, locking out all the union help.
"Thereupon, the matter was brought
to the attention of the Building Trades
Council of Portsmouth, thru Local Un
ion No. 577, one of its affiliated unions,
and the said Building Trades Council
decided that no union man in Ports
mouth shall work with a non-union man,
or on the job where a non-union man
was employed. In other words, they
firmly declared to the employers of
Portsmouth that they would stand as a
man, upon the theory that an injury to
one is an injury to all. Thereupon,
these Master Plumbers, to the number
of 2fi, filed a petition in the common
pleas court of Scioto County, Ohio,
tifvnifii m.it. hllfilinf rifrnllt rl l"ft
"B""8, -'i uUM1, sm. ...
tlie loliowing organizations were maue
1 i-iumircrs ami oicim ru e;, i.a. ., .,
ot u. A.; Amalgamated ancet Aietai
I Workers. Local 32rs: International Bro-
! therhood of Electrical Workers, Local
, yKu"--" , " .r 1 Vr i
rtssociaiiui., -"-" -. """; , ,
Metal Lathers, Local 3..0; Bricklayers
;,... -v.. or, 't,..c ,., ni,; f !,,.
LPrtm!Stft'!o.-'-'n'..vi7iiuty.-aad1tlieis. .
aiders ami aueuuis vvnwc nam" .-
the plaintiffs unknown.
"This netition. which was filed in the
courts, covers about fifty pages of close-
1 Iv tvnewritten matter.
"Aniontr other things, the employers
I asked the Court to declare the Building
I Trades Council of Portsmouth, a con-
spiracy and an illegal combination, tin
lawful and against public policy, and
asked that the same be dissolved by the
Court. Thev further asked that none
of the defendants that is the local un
ions or their agents be permitted to
form another association under another
name. That the said unions be enjoined
forever from boycotting any of the Mas
ter Plumbers or from hindering or ob
structing their business, or interfering
with their patronage or customers, or
to procure anyone to cease business re
( Continued on page 5)
Union Labor looks upon firemen labor
the same as the average man looks upon
convict labor.
, The meeting was called to order with
President Cullen presiding; the minutes
of the previous meeting were read by
Secretary Fred Hock and promptly
adopted. A communication from the
Ohio State Building Trades Council was
' read, calling the attention of members
' that the State Convention will convene
'at the Hotel Von Hof, Mansfield, Ohio,
' on October n.
Another communication from Nicho
las Klein, offering to co-operate with
the Building Trades Council in framing
a suitable memorial to be placed in the
cornerstone of the new Court House;
this was accepted with thanks.
Business Agent Hock's report was
read and adopted. All trades reported
business fair.
The Queen City Sign Company and
the Xoveltv Sign Company, were order
id taken oil the fair list, as published in
the Lacok Advocate.
OlUJANIiATlON UKC.KJ).
Canton, O. The Carpenters' Union
has appointed a committee to act with
the Central Labor Union and the Build
ing Trades Council in starting an or
ganizing campaign in this city.