Plumbers’ Strike and the Battle Over Licensing
Spokane master plumbers lobby to repeal state trade laws, sparking a conflict over the right to work and the cost of services.
The master plumbers of Spokane have decided to pull every string in their power to repeal the state’s plumbing law. A new law is desired to prevent the plumbing business from becoming a monopoly in the hands of a few and to allow new men to learn the trade, which masters claim is currently driving up prices. Under the present law, any man wishing to work in the trade must pass an examination. The journeymen plumbers vehemently oppose the repeal, claiming the masters do not need special training and that the regulation is essential to control the work. The strike remains ongoing, with both sides entrenched and showing little prospect of a settlement.
“They deny that the master plumbers need any special training for the work but claim instead that the men who actually do the work should be the ones licensed.”
The 1903 clash between 'master' plumbers and journeymen over state licensing requirements echoes modern debates about labor regulations, trade monopolies, and the barrier to entry for new workers in the construction industry.
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