The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-12
THE STRIKING TIMERS.
REFUSAL OF THE BOSSES TO RE-
PEAL THE RULE.
They Give Their Side OF the Case -
Copy Of the Obnoxious
Bylaw.

The timers are still out, and there
is no prospect Of an adjus ment OF the
difference between them and their
employers, vino decline TO repeal the
obnoxious bylaw.
Mr.. ThomRs L. Risk, the secretary,
and Mr.. George Rubsch, IT,, sou OF
the president Of the Boss Timers I'm
ion, called at the APPEAL office yester-
day, and made statement OF their
side OF the case, fret submitting the
following copy Of the object ooable
rule.
Article IL. M employer shall hire
another's hands when they leave him
without good cause. 1t is the duty OF
the boss when q workman makes ap-
pllca ion for employment to question
him, and find out his reason TOR leav'
ing his former employer. Then, If de-
sirous OF employing him, he shall con-
suit his former employer before doing
so.
"The rule amounts to nothing more
than an agreement to stick together"
said Mr.. RISK. ave never had any
trouble with the men before they Oh
ganizs I'd their union last May, buteiEce
that time they have been very afbi'
trary in their demands and would not
listen to reason. Whenever we made
a complaint we received an off hand
reply to the effect that the union will
uphold them or protect them. We
found ourselves fore ed to take any body
and everybody, whether competent
or not We submitted to the nine
hour rule at ten hours pay, though no
other city in the country, that we have
been able to hear OF, does it, aud claim
that we pay the highest wages. List
Saturday amob ofAbout forty man went
down to the Metal Company a I'D made
two non'union men there join, telling
them they would obtain them work
elsewhere. They tried to get job
this week and fNiled, and W efnally
agreed to put them at work and let
committee from the Timers Union
decide whether they ought to stay or
not. We have all along believed that
to be the reason OF the threatened
strike and were surprised to receive
the following notice yesterday morn
ing:
MRMPHIs, September 10, 1886.
Boss Timers Union;
GENTLEMEN AT a meeting of the
Timers Union, held at their hall this
day, the following resolution was
adopted. 1t was agreed not to return
to work under the present circum-
stances until the clause in your bylaws
requesting Us to have a release card
from our former employer be stricken
from your bylaws.
W. B. PARKER, President.
THOMAS DwYER, Secretary.
"They made that the ostensible rea-
son for a strike" Mr.. Risk continued,
"but think II was foregone conclu-
sion that they had to have one any
way. The more they got the more
they wanted. We asked for confer
ence, or offered to leave it TO any in.
telligent committee from their own
number, but they would not listen to
anything. They tried to whip one OF
the bosses who wanted to explain the
situation, aud are playing things with
high hand all along the line, Their
talk about being slaves ia absurd. II
they had any more liberty than they
now enjoy we might as we'll turn over
our books and business to them. We
are in now aud we intend to see it
through. There are fifteen boss tin
pers in the city and they al bsloDg to
the union, aud will stick to it."
$50 far as am concerned" said Mr..
Rubsch, 81 have determined that l
will send for new men il they do not
return to work by Monday morning.
l won't wait on them. We can get all
the men we want"
The boss timers are given the bsne-
fit OF their statement and the rublic
can judge as to whether or not the
claim is just that the obnoxious rule
makes the men little better than the
slaves of their employers. Certain it
IL that the timers will not submit to
article II, and that they have the
sympathy of every laboring man in
the city and Of thousands of others.