The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-09

a Plan of Arbitration Proposed as n substi-
tute for Costly Strikes.


The men and women employed by Straiton
4 Storm. cigarmakers. met in Teutonia Hall
yesterday to consider plans for the discontin-
uance Of strikes. The matter has been under
discussion among the employees and tho firm
for several weeks. There are on the pay rolls
about / 600 persons. The cigarmakers. pack
crs. and forcmen number about GOO. and the
bunchmnkors. shippers. and helpers about 400
They are OF various nationaities chiefly Eng
lish. German. and Bohemian. and 100 OF them
are women and girls. The tenement house
system has been already abandoned by this
firm. and all the work is done in factories. Last
summer the hands gave an excursion. and
some money was left after paying expenses.
The firm offered to contribute an equal amount
ns the start for fund for n benevolent society
to be composed Of tho hands. The firm also
favored scheme for arbitration Of all ques-
tions arising between them and their hands.
This plan was printed in three languages and
circulated among the hands for discussion
several weeks ago.
Yesterdays meeting was called by tho firm.
II was proposed to begin by including the cigar
makers. packers and foremen. and TO leave the
question Of admitting the others. mainly young
girls and boys. until tho plans proposed could
hc fairly tested. Between 400 ana 800 OF the
| hands attended. About seventy i've were women,
| who sat apart from the men. but had equal
| rights in the voting, and were included ~
members of the new organization. There were
| three prcsidcnts-One for the English. onn tor
| the Germans. and one for the lbuhemians Ihcl
document was read and debated IN the three
| languages. Tho chief interest centred in the
proposed plan Of arbitration.
| The circular deprecated strikes. anu spok,
| Ot arbitration as ia" most cNrctu0l means Ol
| clos ING tho chnsm between employer and ON
| ploycd. The following is the plan II arbitration
There shall Boz board ot artitaon composed oi ion
cisurmakcrs. vnc packer ~ he elected ihr'' lurrhi
~. ho ri shall he submitted el qu, sions Ut wasc. an'
such other things may BE- in dispute between cmploc
r thnl ana ,,gn VOTE oreWiy The action 81 m,
| shall also be- hoirl 1T Arbitration composed oi tw'
| m,mhcr eff tIc nun. Ia whom shall nc submitted 81
question. wage. nui such other things A. may he j.
| hear such evidence %. may be- necessary 10 prone
S"i ,hcn proceed 10 decide, By. az opeu ,oi.
tts concerned. These two boards shall meet separate
ana ouanl. and the cgarmakcr- shall eject one IRON
The packers coard of arbitration who thereafter 'htl
act with them In the eigarmakcrs board aud The rack
| crs shall elect one from the cgannnkcrs board "
thereafter shall act with them ~ tH packers board .
arbitration aud vacancies shall be- hllcd In 'nri, man
'a AZ ~, ~ t,,t Mn b, ,enJv f,r s,ch nus
may come before II And each one j. subject o. ir
call OF The CHAIR Al no time shall Not 40, cuus CO.
interests of either employers employees be taken cN
,trt in the presence Of ever, member oi the board
II will DO observed that the delegates elcctc
10y the men are in the majority, counting all tn
|
tious between the men and the firm are decide
by tho delegates elected 10y the men in fave
~ the mon. the firm would be IN the minurit
always. The plan presumes that there shall T.
fair discussion and equitable determination q
| all disputed questions. The concluding para
graph. however. puts ii in the power Of an
member ot the board To prevent action by a.
senting himself from the meetings. The pla
has boon received Narously among tho mci
Some have held that there was no provision {
bind the bosses. while the men could be- coerc"
hy discharges from employment This oblc,
| ton was raised al the meeting.
" How are We 10 compel the bosses to suhm
10 the decision Of tho board aworkman askc,
| Mr.. Storm. who represented the ilrin, sal
that he would meet the question fairly He Wa
not about To take any oath and would not ask
from them. but he pledged the firm To abide
the decisions OF the board Of arbitration. VIVA
ever they might be. One Of the hands spoke
the plan ~ impractcablr. He said that he hn
seen similar experiments fail. He was willinl
| however that IL should be tried. Others. vii
did not speak against it. voted against IT. !
that. although the plan was adopted by an Owe
whclming vote. IL was by no means unan
mously accepted. The consideration OF Il
proposal for forming a benevolent society WI
| postponed.