The Myth of the Everett Building Boom
Local labor leaders debunk a fabricated 'building boom' story, warning it is a reckless tactic to lure surplus labor for anti-union motives.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A recent story claimed six hundred new dwellings were completed or under construction in Everett, signaling a massive building boom. Labor leaders are calling this a 'fairy story' that serves to damage the local economy. Statistics from building trades show a significant decline in work compared to the previous year, with union carpenters, plumbers, and plasterers reporting widespread idleness. The Labor Journal warns that by advertising false prosperity, the Chamber of Commerce is flooding the city with desperate, unemployed workers to undermine union power and promote the 'open shop' agenda.
“It won't hasten prosperity to flood city with idle men—a sure result of widespread boom stories.”
Housing affordability and growth rhetoric have long defined Everett politics. This piece serves as an early 20th-century warning about the manipulation of 'growth' narratives to suppress labor power.
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