Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-02
TO STAY ALL STRIFE.
The Plumbers Convention Devises a
Way to Settle Disputes
BY APPOINTING STATE OFFICERS.
The Millwrights of the American Iron
Works Want More Pay.
A FIRM SHARES PROFITS WITH ITS MEN

The Journevmen Plumbers and Steam
Filters Association concluded Its conven-
tion yesterday. The first business OF the
day was the adoption of ritual and con-
stitution. The following officers were then
elected for the ensuing year: President, z.
j. q Quinlan, of Boston; First Vice Presl-
dent, George Mcdonald, Denver, COL;
Second V ice President, A. A. Mclaughlin,
Worcester, Mass; Third Vice President,
M. j. DriscoIl, Brooklyn, Fourth Vice
President, Thomas c. Shannahan, Pitts
burg; Secretary. Richard A. O'Brien, WASH
ington; Treasurer, P. II. Gleason, Brooklyn;
Executive Board, representing Northern
States, Edward Carroll, New York; NJ. j.
Coolahan, Pittsburg; representing Western
States, ames II. Doyle. st. Paul; Charles
ii. Signor, st. Louis; Eastern States, James
j. Doody, Brooklyn; JScott Lowell, Mass;
Southern States, John M. Haupt, Baltimore;
The afternoon session convened at $3.50
o'clock. In the matter of a uniformity of
wages, it was decided that to form ma
tional scale would be impossible. owing to
the difference in prices of living in different
localities. 1t was therefore agreed to elect
a vice president for each State, whose duty it
would be to call conventions of delegates
from the local unions in his State to regulate
wages, apprentice laws, hours OF work, and
to confer with master plumbers as to the
condition of The trade and consult with
them as to means for improving it. 1t
would be also the mission of the Board of
Conference to arbitrate in the case of dis
putes and adopt such plans as would OBJ
viate, once and for all, all occasion for
strikes.
THE OFFICERS SELECTED.
The Vice Presidents chosen for this work
were: For New York State, Edward Carey;
Colorado, N. j. O'Garra; Massachusetts,,
A. A. McLaughlin; District of Columbia,
n. J. Plast; MARYLAND, G. E. Zimmisch;
Virginia, A. J. Bowman; Minnesota, J. F.
Grillow; Nebraska, NJ. j. Conway; New
jersey, Thomas Hart; Connecticut, j. j.
Finn; Pennsylvania, James Robinson;
Washington, D. H.. De Clark; Missouri,
William f. Coakley The States not rep
resented will be notified to send name to
the National Association to be appointed.
The officers were installed and at q o'clock
the convention adjourned. The next con-
vention will be held in Denver, COL, on the
last Monday in July, 1891.
The delegates expressed themselves as
highly pleased with the treatment they have
received in Pittsburg. They said they not
only had a pleasant time, but the convention
was the most successful one for the trade
ever held in this country.
james j. Doody, of Brooklyn, said re-
garding the efficacy of conference boards
between employers and men:
"In Brooklyn we have a conference board
of our men and the master plumbers have
theirs. Both boards act in such thorough
as to be practically one organiza-
ton. They meet twice each month and dis
cuss matters appertaining to the trade.
When the journeYmen think that the con-
ditions warrant an increase of wages, they |
give the masters notice. and a notice invari- |
bly, of three or four months ahead.
HOW IT IS WORKED.
"The committee meets and discusses the
question and the question is finally arranged
by consent on either side if no protest is
raised, or by arbitration il there is differ |
ence of opinion-without the outside public |
knowing anything about our affairs. This |
has been found to work most |
III DrOOklVu anu IL Will pc |
extended henceiorth to every State repre- |
sented at the meeting, and subseque emily to
every State in the Union. Every State
will nave its conference board to meet a
similar body from the masters. and who, |
jointly. will settle the hours and wage |
question, and so on, for that State. No
uniform wage rate or working time for the
whole country could be determined
because the conditions of hiring are not
identical throughout. The masters will
give adhesion to the scheme, for they will
recognize in it an equable, fair and OPEN
handed way of settling trade disputes
without having recourse to strikes. The
latter, may say, the association strongly
condemns and will prevent them wherever
hey can."
1t was learned that the questions at issue
between the master and journeymen
plumbers in this city and Allegheny have
,een permanently disposed of. Some mat
ers which have been awaiting action by the
were arranged as we'll.