The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-06-08
THE STRIKE is ENDED.
The journeymen Agree to a 54-Hour
Week.
SIXTEEN MASTERS SIGNED.
SIGNED.
The Agreement Stands TIL May 2. 1so3.
but There viii Bs Conference jan
uary 1, 1898, to Decide tho May Rate
of Wages.

While IL cannot be said that the strike
OF the journeymen plumbers of Provi-
dence and vicinity is ended, It may with
truth be stated that its backbone is
broken and the trouble is practically set
tied. 1t has been five weeks since the
strike began by the journeymen asking
for standard rate of wages Of g. 80 and
80 for day Of nine hours. They had
previously received from 50 TO % per day
for ten hours work, with the exception OF
the men in the Thomas Phillips Co. s
shop, who received $3.50.
Al the beginning Of the strike George
*. Philips made an agreement with the
yourneymen, amounting TO compromises.
but which the other master plumbers re-
fused Co sign, and as result the men in
Mr.. Phillips employ were ordered out
with the rest and the original demand was
adhered to. During the past two weeks
the Journeymen have received eleven sig
natures To the agreement making the rate
OF wages as before stated for week OF
fifty-three hours.
Yesterday the committee OF the master
plumbers or Providence and vicinity met
the executive committee of the Journey
men Plumbers Associ alton at the Office
of the Thomas Phillips Company. aud
after conference of six hours, including
two sessions, succeeded in coming to an
agreement including concessions by both
sides. The concession made by the
be nine hour day the the sane as any
other day in tine week, thus making u
week OF fifty-four hours
The agreement is AS follows:
May 2, 1892.
We, the undersigned master plumbers,
doing business in the city OF Providence
and vicinity, hereby enter into the follow
ing agreement with the Journeymen
Plumbers Association of this city, for
one year from date:
lst. That the standard rate of wages
shall be 50 and $3.50 per day.
I'd. That every, apprentice shall serve
five years before he shall be entitled to
the standard rate OF wages.
3d. That nine CO hours shall consti-
tute a days work.
4th That an apprentice, at the expira-
tion of his time, shall receive So per day
and two y ars thereafter shall be entitled
TO receive $3.50 per day.
Besides the names already secured the
following master plumbers, whose shops
are the largest in the vicinity, yesterday
signed the agreement: The Thomas
Phillips CO., p. a. j. Tierney, II. O'Connor,
Pawtucket Steam and Gaspipe Co. and
j. Il. Bannon.
The fact that the master plumbers have
signed the agreement does not necessarily
mean that all will do so, but IL is evident
that with the set back that work has re-
ceived during the past five weeks, nearly
all OF them will see that, to hold their
work with the large shops In full opera
tioI, IL will be necessary to fall In line
and sign the agreement aud the end is
confidently expected very soon.
In regard to the rate of wages and the
number of hours called for in the agree
ment, il may be stated that of twenty-eight
of the principal cities east of the Missis-
u
composed of less than ffty-four hours. In
four cities fifty-three hours is a weeks
work, in five cities forty-eight hours, and
in two-New York and Brooklyn-torty-
seven hours.
Though the agreement stands till May
2, 1898, there Is an understanding that
committees from the journeymen and the
master plumbers snail hold conference
Jan. l, 1893, review the working OF the
new system and fix the rates for the fol-
lowing year, all parties TO be governed by
the arrangement so made, In order that
the master plumbers may figure contracts
to advantage knowing the wages to be
paid.
The striking journeymen are to he COM
plimented on the way the strike has been
conducted, they having acted in a gentle
manly manner at all times and having
done nothing which is illegal or unfair in
any way. They are jubilant over the par
tial settlement of the strike, as about
forty men went back to work this morn
ing and others, including the Thomas
Phillips q Co. men, will follow tomor-