Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-23
A PRINTERS STRIKE.
The COmPOsftOrs i'm Gibson Brothers
Office Leave Their Cases This Morn.
fns-A Difference Between the Firm
and the Union.

and the Union.
Typographical circles were agitated to-day
over strike at Gibson Brothers printing
house. BY direction of the union, the fourteen
journeymen printers employed in that office
left their cases to-day. The immediate cause
of tae strike was difference between the firm
and Columbia Typographical Union as to the
price paid by the firm for setting matter in
foreign languages. The firm has paid an ad-
vance of 10 cents a thousand for setting such
matter, The price paid for plain matter is 40
cents and the firm has been paying SO cents a
thousand for foreign matter, and hold that that
is a fair price. The regulations of the union re-
quire that "prtce-and-;l-half' or go cents
per thousand shall be paid for such composition.
In order to .eniorce the regulations of the
union. the journeymen employed by the Glib
son Brother were ordered OUT and left work
to-day. One of the striking compositors stated
to a STAR reporter to-day that. q very cordial
feeling existed between the Messrs. Gibson and
the printers employed by them as individuals
The issue was one between the Messrs Gibson
and the union. They expected that the mat
ter would be settled in a gentlemanIy way.
without any serious trouble. The MeSsrS Glib
son Brothers had not to-day taken any steps to
fill the places OF their old men. The foreman
and apprentices were at work there; The pres
ent difficulty is the sequal of a similar trouble
which occurred in May, between the printers
and another job firm. That firm agreed to pay
was no strike. Printers say that in justice to
that firm they are compelled to enforce the
regulations against other employing printers,
and they have begun with Gibson Bros.
WHAT THE FIRM SAYS.
One of the members of the firm of Gibson
Bros. said to a STAR reporter to-day that the
firm resisted this demand upon them, as a mat
ter of principle. The money involved would
not, he said, amount to 500 year. The firm,
agreed upon by employing printers ten years
ago and which then received the approval of
members OF the printers ninion who said that
an advance OF ten cents on foreign matter and
differed from the union scale also in the prices
for rule and figure work. The EMPLOYERS scale
provided for single price in some cases where the
union demands o price-and-a-half, and a price
and.a-half where the uniOnrequired dOubleprice.
Gibson said, had remained undisturbed for
many years. The advance of ten cents on set
ting foreign matter, he said, made the price for
other cities. IL some cases. he said, the firm
paid its employees more than the union required.
PRIVATE OFFICES AND THE GOVERNMENT
OFFICE.
In May last when the union began to take
steps to enforce its regulation in this respect a
to adhere to their old scale. They adopted a
resolution also setting forth their desire TO Co
operate with q union of printers employed in
liked by Congress. The employers Complain
that the union being controlled by printers en-
ployed in the Government printing office, i'm
poses onerous requirements upon them.
THE EMPLOYERS SCALE.
Members Of the Typographical Union say
that that body never approved of what is
known as the employers scale. The union
suspended its scale Of fifty cents for plain
matter some years ago and permitted men in
downtown Offices to work on q basis of forty
cents for plain matter. Their old rules as to
extra" matter. however. remained I'm force.
They have not, they say, had any officiai
knowledge Of printers receiving less than a
price-and-a-haf for foreign matter until re-
Gently. That ia the ratio for such matter paid
In other cities.
The rates paid at the Government printing
ofdce for all kinds OF work to piece hands are
they say, twenty-five per cent higher than the
union demands in down town Offices and for
foreign languages 30 per cent higher than Glib
son Bros. propose to pay. The union has
taken steps 70 raise large campaign fund in
case OF need, and has already provided for the
support OF the striking printers
AMONG THE PRESIDENTS callers today were
Secretary Bayard. Senators Hampton and
voorhees,, Representative Curtin, Hiestand,
Bound, Maybury, Taylor, Tenn; Murphy, Fred
erlck ana wheeler; A. A. Healy, Of Brooklyn;
rear Admiral Stearns, A. E. Apollouy and r.
y. Wines, Thomas r Lombard, Of Now York,
ana Gar. MonicO Cordova, Of Honduras; F. r.
march, OF Bunalo, and w. +. Wallace.
The manifesto of the RIel dessnss fund com
49, o1wAA 49, 49, a.