Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-02
BOTH SIDES TOGETHER.

District Master Workman Ross Tells Why
Bakers Differ With 1IarvinN6 & CO.-Mr.
Marvin Contradicts n Good Deal of Ii.
Since the publication of the strike at 6. s..
Marvin & Co.'s cracker works and the in
terview with. Mr.. Marvin's superintendent,
| giving his side Of the case, District Master
Workman Ross. of D. A. No. 8, Knights Of
Labor, desires to be heard from the union side
| The latter writes letter to THE DISPATCH,
and, in order to treat both sides fairly, the COM
| munication was shown Mr.. Marvin who con-
tradicts most of the statements. Until some
| thing of news character develops no further
| communications or other stimulus to contro-
| versy will be printed in these columns. Mr..
| Ross says:
The men employed by 8. s. Marvin & Co. are
| not on strike but simply refuse to work with
non-union men. s. s. Marvin signed the scale to
employ union men only Time and again men
| were laid of under the pretext that work was
scarce, and Immediately non-union men were put
| on in their places. A committee was appointed to
| try and have the place made strictly union. Mr..
| Marvin said he could not compel men to join the
| organization. He would advise them to do SO,
but in the next breath told the committee that if
they would go to Cleveland and organize his shop
| there he would compel, or force all his men here
! in the union. He had trouble there with the Ma
tional Bakers Union. and desired to use the h. of
| L. to whip the union in Cleveland The knights
were not purchasable on that score and refused to
| antagonize other unions.
| Committee from District Assembly No. 3
visited MIR. Marvin on Friday last and stated that
| his delinquent men would be given until Satur-
day night ats o'clock to square themselves with
them were in arrears to the amount OF 81 90 Mr.
the D. M. ". and members Of the committee into
his factory, called the men together, read the
| document and made a speech to them advising
them to be honest men, and pay their indebted
ness. Notwithstanding this, committee called
at ID. A. 3headquarters Saturday night to know
WI n m nf m
were told that time would be extended until Mon
the request of L. A. 7247 the union men would
fuse to work with the non-unionists any longer.
and the men are recei&in the benets
The bakers appeal to the public in general to let
Mr. Marvin's goods severely alone until the place
is made union establishment. Marvin's factory
to-day is non-union, and organized labor will be
kept posted from time to time until settlement
There will be no need for police interference as
far as the knights of Labor are concerned. Mar
Chief Of the Department of Public Safety is only
~ l. e. Ross. D. NV.
In regard to this letter from the District
Master Workman, Mr.. Marvin said:
did sign the scale in this room with the ex-
pressed understanding that it was to be optional
with my men as to whether they Joined the union
or not. This was stated in as plain language as
could make 1T, and the committee agreed: 1t is
the union ~ or not snd eertanv Weuid be- treat
ing them unjustly If made it my business to
NEEDLE with them In this respect.
In regard to the statement that / have laid off
the union men when the work was short and gave
the preference to the non-unionists can say that
lively emphatically deny this, and challenge con-
tradiction to the denial. have never dis
crtminated against anybody, individually or col
lectively. My books will show that there has been
less -four baked since January 1 to May this year
than there was the six months previous, and the
men were laid of by gangs as the work fell off.
did not say thatif they organized the Cleveland
shops would compel every employe of mine TO
go into the knights of Labor am only one
stockholder in the Cleveland Baking Company.
for nine months. All know Of it is what is con-
tanned in business letters. The committee said to
make you the greatest man in the Country and will
40 everything to boom union goods" L never
ES%d Se OF man to Join the .nd G
said could compel the men to go in. told them
could not do so. have never interfered with the
wish to 60 into the union that's their affair.
In regard to the speech am reported as making,
Indebtedness 1 said. '.Be honest tn one an
other and be honest by one another This was
intended for the members of the committee, just
The Knights of Labor have picked a grievance
to do. 1 think fair-minded people will not wish
to see these people who are now working in the
shop discharged. just because they did not want
to go into a labor union.
An empIoye named FrIcke said he had been
working for the firm eight years and never saw
the necessity of going into the union. He says
the employees held a meeting and almost unani-
mOusly voted not to go into the Knights of Labor.
At the first meeting, out of the Sc men who at
tended, three voted to join the knights of Labor.
Two of these afterward said they had voted eyes"
under misrepresentation. A vote was taken in
the bake shop and out of 80 men voted to go In
Ernest 0Gt foreman in the bake shop said the
men refused to go into the union for the reason
have any trouble about wages or hours, and all
overtime is paid for. He has been with the firm
since 1876. Some of the employees who refused to
20 into the knights of Labor, have been with the
firm for from 20 to Is years.