Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-21
NO S-HOUR STRIKE.
The Pittsburg Carpenters Have Voted
Against the Movement.
A CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY HERE.
Ballots Officially Counted at the Meeting of
the Council.
THE STRIKE AT OLIVERS' UNSETTLED

There seems to be conflict of authority
in regard to the attitude the carpenters Of
this city will take in the eight-honr move
ment on May l.. 1t is authoritatively stated
in the Conamoner and Glass Worker, the
official organ of the building trades, that
they will not demand the short day. On the
other hand P. j. Mcclure, the executive
head of the brotherhood, says they will. In
all probability the former will be the case
here, and no demand will be made. Con-
tractors and builders may therefore bid on
work without a feeling that the building
trades will go out on May 1. At meeting
of the Carpenters Council on Wednesday
night the votes of the different unions in
this county were counted and it was found
that the men were opposed to any change.
CORRECT, AFTER ALL.
About three weeks ago, in an interview
with w. S. Sharon, The DISPATCH stated
the carpenters of this city would not de-
mand the eight-hour day. AT that time the
statement was denied by the Vice President
of the district, A. w. Schwartz, and
National Secretary P. J. Mcclure. 1t now
develops that the statement was true. The
following is the communication to their
official organ:
''At the meeting of the Executive Council
OF the Federation, held in New York on
Tuesday, it was decided that the Federation
would centralize its strength on the United
Order of Carpenters and Joiners, to inaug-
urate the eight-Eour day on May 1. That
means that the entire financial strength of
the Federation, capable of realizing an i'm
mense sum of money by weekly assessment,
will be used to sustain the carpenters
wherever the district councils or local
unions decided to demand the eight-hour
day.
"1n Pittsburg the Carpenters District
Council for several weeks past have had the
local unions voting on proposition to work
eight hours on and after May 1. There are
26 local unions, and the votes were to be in
and counted at the meeting of the council
on Wednesday evening of this week.
About 10 unions reported their vote, and
they were the largest unions here, so that
their decision practically settled the con-
test.
THE PROPOSITION LOST.
"Allegheny voted for eight hours, but
Pittsburg, East End and Southslde unions
against it, so that the proposition was lost
The votes from the other unions, which
should have been in at Tuesdays meeting,
rate of wages for union carpenters here is
81 75 but though nine hours will rule for
another year, it is possible some change
may be in wages.
"All the organized building trades here
will therefore work nine hours the coming
year. The bricklayers and stonemasons so
decided at their National Convention at
Kansas City. The painters made demands
for nine hours and So a day and the plaster
ers the same. The carpenters now work
eight hours in Chicago and New York, and
a majority OF the other cities will attempt
to establish the same hours on May l.
Vice President Martin, of the Federation
of Labor, returned home yesterday from the
meeting of the Executive Council in New
York. His account of the meeting does not
tally with the action taken by the carpenters
in this city. He said: "The carpenters and
miners oil this vicinity will make a stand.
The defense fund is large and growing
rapidly, and the membership was shown at
this meeting to be over zoo, 900 workers."
MUST BE MADE GENERAL.
1t was decided at the meeting that no one
trade in any city shall bear the brunt of the
fight. The movement will be inaugurated in
every city in the country where certain Or
ganizations believe themselves strong
enough to win the demands.
Every affiliated organization which has
this estimate OF its strength has sent word to
the headquarters of the Federation to this
effect. The future plans of these organiza-
tons are that in each city a committee rep
all locals of a certain trade will |
ask employers to grant the eight-hour day.
The employers will appoint committee to |
meet the workers committee in conference, |
At the conference the men will present their |
II. 4l, L.
are agreed upon there will be no strike in |
hat trade. If, however, the employers refuse
to make any concessions there will be a |
strike.
The power is relegated to each trade as to
whether the pay for eight hours work shall |
be pro-rated on the basis of the present paw
Or continue to be the same.