Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-14
THE PLUMBERS TROUBLE.
Details in an Interview With a
Union Official.
UTILITY OF THE APPRENTICE
How the BARRIERS are EndeavOring ia
Extend Their Union-Reduc-
tiOn of Hours at the Union
Pacific Shops, Etc.

The JOurneymen Plumbers indignant.
Master Plumbers association this week and
yesterday We're posted In the leading shops
of the city. These resolutions stated in sub
stance that the master plumbers, feeling that
they had been unnecessarily interfered with
in conducting their business by the union
men, while they were willing to pay good
some respects could not countenance this
interference, ana that therefore they would
thereafter cease TO recognize the union.
This was ir reality brought on by the
strike in Milton Frees shop, the master
plumbers having agreed to stand together
and in the event that the men did not return
to work in Frees shop, would order gen.
eral lockout.
One of the officers of the union was seen
last night. Speaking of the situation, he
said
"Mr Free has employed only one journey.
man during the past six months, and that
man has made little more than half time,
but instead he employed iobbers, or appren-
tices, to do mechanics work and charged his
customers mechanics prices.
"Ihe committee that met with the master
plumbers month or so ago endeavored to so
arrange matters that there would be no con-
fict, but failed TO do so, Free being one of
the chief opposers Of the attempt to make an
agreement.
'It isn't customary in any city amongst
reputable firms to pay by the hour, and in
Omaha Mr. Free is the only one to do 80,
and while he pretended TO live up to union
rules, he broke them in that respect. Free
is now advertising in the east and south for
men, but what they are can be told best after
the public has tried them.
Free was formerly member of our asso-
citation and helped to frame the rules he now
opposes, and was always one of the warmest
advocates of their enforcement.
"For the past year, anyway, the master
plumbers have not lived up to their agree
ment to employ none but union men, but
have hired whoever came along, leaving it
TO us TO make union men of them. We do
not care to dictate to them; they can hire
whom they please, but in the event that they
employ non-union men they can fill our
places with SUCH
"a majority of the master plumbers are
not competent TO run their business them
selves, but have to employ expert men TO
conduct 1t for them.
"We intend to enforce and live up to the
terms OF the agreement we offered them,
which would have been accepted but for
Free"
The master plumbers held meeting last
night until a late hour in room 80, Murray
hotel, but refused to admit BEE reporter or
tell him later what they had decided TO do in
the matter OF locking out their journeymen.
delegation from the Journeymen Bar
bers' Union No 3, visited Council Bluffs on
Tuesday night for the purpose of organizing
Council Bluffs branch of the union. 1t
was found that the number of iourneymcn
BARRIERS in Council Bluffs was too small to
warrant the establishing of union and as
the next best thing tho Bluffites were invited
To affiliate with the Omaha shayers. The
invitation was accepted and number of the
BARRIERS from over the river were initiated
the Omaha union at a meeting on Wednes-
day night The name Of the union has been
changed 10 the Journeymen Barbers' Union
No. 3, Of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Al
meeting OF No. 3 on Thursday night resoiu-
tons were adopted thanking Frank Levin,