ORGANIZED LABOR

SEATTLE BAKERS THREATEN STRIKE

If Demands for $1 a Day Raise in Wages Is Not Met, Walkout May Come May 1.

THREE CITIES INVOLVED

Bakers in Seattle, Tacoma and Portland have been authorized by the Bakery and Confectionery Workers' international Union to strike on May 1 if the wage increases they are demanding are not put into effect by the master bakers on that date, according to an announcement made by William T. McGuern of Seattle, representative of the international union in the Northwest. A similar strike sanction has been given the Seattle unions of bakers' helpers and bakery salesmen or bread wagon-drivers, McGuern said, and the international union was today requested by telegraph to sanction a strike of the Seattle cracker and candy workers on the same date, should their new wage scale be rejected by the employers.

About 500 bakers and helpers, about 100 bakery salesmen and more than 500 cracker and candy workers in Seattle; about 200 bakery workers in Tacoma, and about 300 in Portland are affected by the wage negotiations now drawing to a conclusion.

Rests With McGuern.

McGuern's announcement was made at the regular meeting of Cracker and Candy Workers' Local Union, No. 156, held in the Labor Temple last night, when he informed the union that the international union that the international union had placed a strike sanction for a walk-out of the bakery workers in Seattle. Tacoma and Portland in his hands for use on May 1, should the necessity arise, and that he would immediately request the international union to sanction a like strike for the Seattle cracker and candy workers, should the wage negotiations fail.

McGuern said, however, that there was reason to believe that satisfactory agreements would be reached in all three cities in view of the fact that the proposed new wage scale had been submitted to the international union more than a month ago and approved by its general executive board.

Bakers Local Union No. 9 of Seattle is asking an increase of $1 a day for journeymen doing day work, and a $2 increase for journeymen doing night work. The Seattle bakers' helpers are asking proportionate increases, where increases have not been made during the year, and the Seattle bakery salesmen are asking an increase of $1 a day.

Eliminate Night Work.

"The bakers are seeking by making the new scale for night work prohibitive to eliminate night work altogether," said McGuern. "Night work was taboo during the war and the union does not wish to see it resumed. There is no necessity for it. We want the day's work done between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. For the salesmen we are asking that day work only shall be done and that wagons must not be sent out before 5 a.m. and must be off the street by 5 p.m.

The cracker and candy workers are asking but a small increase, about 10 per cent, and many of the Seattle shops have already made increases that bring the current wages up to the proposed new scale.

The cracker and candy workers originally demanded the forty-four-hour week, or the Saturday half-holiday as part of their contract, but have waived the demand in view of the fact that most of the employers have already granted the half holiday and the union would prefer that the concession should be made voluntarily.

Same in Other Cities.

"In other cities increases are asked proportionate to those demanded in Seattle."

McGuern, who is business agent for all the Seattle baker workers ' unions, came before the cracker and candy workers to explain the proposed new agreement, which was under discussion. The union initiated ten new members and heard reports to the effect that union shop conditions had been granted by the People's Candy Company, McDonald & Cotter and the Nut Products Company.

An interesting feature of the bakery workers' case in Seattle is that the cooks, waiters and waitresses' local unions, through their joint local executive board, are now in negotiation with the employers for a new blanket wage agreement to go into effect May 1 when the old agreement expires. The executive board has announced its belief that the negotiations will terminate successfully, though some of the employers are opposing any wage increase.