The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-09
WAR is DECLARED.

The Carpenters and Contractors Fail 60
Agree-New Set of Rules.
All negotiations between the journeymen
carpenters and the Contractors Association
are off. The arbitration committees ar
ranged for In the settlement of last
spring have met jointly for the
last time. and the journeymen's committee
has adjourned sine die. The men say they
will not again recognize any such body as
the Contractors and Builders Association,
because it has no substantial form.
Hereafter" said w. j. A. Ross. yester-
day. to Journal reporter. I'VE will
treat the contractors as individuals
Their organization has no existence
in form with which compact or agree
ment of any force can really be made
They have no charter. and can meet or DIS;
have opposed the idea of treating with such
an organization for some time. but. In the
hope of an amcable adjustment of the
scale for 1892, our committee pereevered.
You may say now that all NEGOTIATIONS are
OFT. We will simply prepare trade rules.
and If these contractors want to employ us
on these terms. well and good. If not. they
may get along the best they can with the
labor they can hire"
What prevented the agreement of the
committeep was asked.
I'VE could not reach terms Of common
acceptance. Our rules called tor an eight
hour day, time and q half for overtime.
double time for Sundays, one apprentice
hour minimum, 45 cents an hour
maximum. and absolute refusal to work
with nOn-uniOn men. The bosses commit
tee conceded without argument the eight
hour day and the overtime and Sunday
time features. but that was all. They of
fered minimum rate of % cents an hour,
but the point was never settled. We could
not posslb agree on the essential points
of unionism. and so we have gwen mp the
job"
What do the unions propose now to dot"
1--WE will prepare set of trade rules az
simple as possible, as we did in 1890. A
copy of them will be sent to every con-
tractor in the city. We do not fear trouble
on all work of public character, or that on
buildings erected by business men. Public
officials and business men are favorable to
organized labor. The great majority of
the small houses erected on the cIty's out
skirts are not built by the members of the
COntractors' Association, but by con-
tractors with less capital who are in assO-
Citations in which our rules will be rigidiy
adhered to. There are two other associa-
tions ready to bid for the building of 1892
on basis of trade rules that will be ap-
proved by our uniOns."
The situation as set forth in the above in.
terview has no indication of strike or o
LOCKOUT, ana yet VIII no 0OuDt nave an In
fluence upon the amount of building to be
undertaken this season. The arbitration
committees operated in conference on the
plan that settlement was to be effected
without newspaper reports of progress
The rules and the proceedings were there
fore guarded securely. oven against membe
of the UniOn. But instead of q settlement
no progress was made and the parties have
drIfted out of reach of each other. 1t is
said the situation is too abnormal TO re-
main as it 10, and that the leading con.
tractors and the great bulk of carpenters
In the unions will yet find basis of settle
ment on which they can operate to mutual
ADVANTAGE