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Story
December 13, 1925
The Daily Worker
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
What is this article about?
Jack Reed reports on exploitative conditions at Davis department store in Chicago, where unorganized workers endure 60-hour weeks for low pay, unpaid overtime during holidays, and firing for refusal, urging unionization.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
Davis Store Workers
Receive No Pay for
Their Overtime Work
By JACK REED.
(Worker Correspondent)
Student of Chicago Class.
The department store
employees
are unorganized and as a result are
working under very miserable condi-
tions.
I was employed in the groceries
shipping room of the Davis company.
There the workers work 60 hours a
week. The wages are $18 for begin-
ners and $22 for old hands.
From a week before Thanksgiving
until after New Years the workers
are compelled to work overtime as
late as 10 p. m. for the price of a
supper. When the straw boss came
up to me and told me that I would
have to work overtime I refused. The
following day I was fired. I was told
by some of workers that when the
company takes "stock," which is usu-
ally on Sunday when the store is
closed, they have to work for just the
price of a dinner—no extra pay.
The American Federation of Labor
never made a real effort to organize
the workers in the department stores.
It is up to the workers themselves to
join the Retail Clerks' Union in order
to better their conditions.
Receive No Pay for
Their Overtime Work
By JACK REED.
(Worker Correspondent)
Student of Chicago Class.
The department store
employees
are unorganized and as a result are
working under very miserable condi-
tions.
I was employed in the groceries
shipping room of the Davis company.
There the workers work 60 hours a
week. The wages are $18 for begin-
ners and $22 for old hands.
From a week before Thanksgiving
until after New Years the workers
are compelled to work overtime as
late as 10 p. m. for the price of a
supper. When the straw boss came
up to me and told me that I would
have to work overtime I refused. The
following day I was fired. I was told
by some of workers that when the
company takes "stock," which is usu-
ally on Sunday when the store is
closed, they have to work for just the
price of a dinner—no extra pay.
The American Federation of Labor
never made a real effort to organize
the workers in the department stores.
It is up to the workers themselves to
join the Retail Clerks' Union in order
to better their conditions.
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Justice
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Overtime Work
No Pay
Fired Worker
Department Store
Unionization
Labor Conditions
Davis Company
What entities or persons were involved?
Jack Reed
Straw Boss
Where did it happen?
Davis Company, Chicago
Story Details
Key Persons
Jack Reed
Straw Boss
Location
Davis Company, Chicago
Event Date
From A Week Before Thanksgiving Until After New Years
Story Details
Unorganized department store workers at Davis company face 60-hour weeks for $18-22 pay, unpaid overtime during holidays compensated only by meals, and firing for refusing extra hours; author urges joining Retail Clerks' Union.