Everett Labor Council Clashes with Local Businesses
City unions move to blacklist a local printer and debate public versus private labor on city infrastructure projects.
At the October 20th meeting of the Everett Labor Council, the body addressed the Cascade Printing and Stationery Co. (formerly Efawes' Book Store). After failing to convince the proprietors to unionize, the council officially placed the firm on the 'unfair list.' Meanwhile, delegate Roberts of the Electricians pushed for the city to move away from private contractors toward direct day labor for public improvements, citing the government's success using this model for the Panama Canal project.
“Several conferences had been held and every known argument used to convince the proprietors that it was to their best interests to unionize their printing establishment, but to no avail.”
The tension between unionized labor and non-union shops remains a staple of local economic discourse. The push for municipal day labor over private contracting also mirrors modern city debates about efficiency, cost-control, and labor standards in public infrastructure projects.
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