Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-03-19
FOR HONEST WAGES
Position OF the Bricklsyers Made
Public.
president HAYES STATES TIE CASE
And Asserts That the New Scale IL Practi
caliy the One in uss for the Past
Three YeArs-The Contractors
seek To Reduce WaGes-

The trouble between the bricklayers
and contractors remains unsettled.
Yesterday morning q number OF the
contractors themselves donned the
prom and seized trowels and reported
for business on the Curtis contract on
the sweeper annex. Several other men
were engaged and the work proceeded
as if it had not been interrupted. The
men themselves rendezvoused about
headquarters on Waterioo-st. and IN
formally discussed the situation. The
meeting was purely spontaneous and
no definite action Was proposed or
taken, although the men remained
about the hall from noon until about
eight O'Clock IN the evening.
The Bone of Contention.
To ascertain the exact differences
existing between the men and masters,
reporter visited the president Of the
union. p. Hayes, at his home l26 Sec
ond-ave, last evening. MIR. Hayes
while an entertaining host on every
question broached, was taciturn and
uncommunicative on the strike ques-
ton. He said that the union had sub
mtted to the contractors the same
scale of wages that had been IN force
| for the past three years, with a
slight change in the rates for
stone masons. The contractors
in return had sent to the men another
scale, which classified not only the
| wages, but the men. The contractors
would not accept the terms of the men,
| as they had existed for three years, and
the men would not accept the classiti-
cation of the contractors. To amicably
| settle this difference, the men had
! named committee of arbitration, and
the contractors refuse TO recognize
the m because they allege there IS moth
ing TO arbltrate. The men who are
| represented as striking, have not
| struck, hut are locked out because they
will not accept the arbitrary terms Of
the contractors reducing the standsrd
| OF wages as they have existed for three
years. The union has placed the rate
at 40 cents, which is fair compensation
for inferior workmen. The rates in
Milwaukee, Chicago, st. Paul and St.
Louis are 90 cents for the poorest men,
and higher wages for the better ones.
We have no second-class men in the
union. We have privileged members
| who may receive privileged pay. There
are the old and decrepit masons. We
are not asking anything unreason-
able or exhorbitant. 1t Is the same rate
We have mad for three years.
M ncca.iou for the G.ut
There is no stringency Of money, nor
are times depressed. On the contrary
times are good and bright. The ques-
ton IS. shall our union be disrupted
and wages reduced by the contractors
or shall we stand for our rights. There
are 81, 900 union masons In this coun-
try, and they are all interested IN the
question, for blister on the toe hurts
the whole body. can not say what
our action will be in the future, for
do not know. Weare asking only what
we think is right and honest, and will
try to prevail. Masous in this city work
on an average not more than 200
days IN the year. Taking the winter
| and stormy days it eats into our income
so that on an average We earn about 81
per day. 1t IS now proposed to reduce
WIS. VIC Ntu HOt hC Oiith
makers have advanced their prices
fifty cents per thousand and no COM
plant is made. IL the bricklayers
should ask proportionate increase, a
howl would go up that could be heard
in New Orleans.
Object to Classi hcation.
1--WE object to the rates named in the
contractors circular because it seeks TO
| classify the men and pay them accord
ingly. | can not say whether will be
\ iirst-class man on one Job or second
class man on another. | am left to the
whim and caprice of the contractor,
and today | may be good and tomor-
row indifferent. The union says we
will fix the rate OF wages at the value
of the second-class men IN other cities,
and If the contractor considers n man
better than the rest he is at liberty to
pay HIM as much more as he will. or as
IS paid IN Chicago and elsewhere.
do not know, but | have said more
than | intended to, but hope you Will
state the truth in relation to the mat
ter, 81 that both sides may be fairly
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