Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-08-26
AUBURN STRIKE.
Rather a Gloomy Look in the
City Of Shoes.
Fears That the Trouble May Involve
Other Employes--400 Idle.
nsafiy 5000 Psspis wssid b. Afsctsd
Sheaid IL rresbas Extsad.

ArsURx, Aug. 25.-(SpeeiAl} .-Thers
i. = rapidly increasing interest in the striks
4, the pray-Small Compsny's shop in this
city. The determination on the part Of ths
| mxnufac,urers NOT to make any eonces-
ssors, the equally determined disposition Of
the employees not to accept = cutdoun, TO-
gether with the present condition Of the
labor market. puts gloomy look about the
case
The Hrs, of July the shop shut dosn for
two weeks or more" a the nfm said. Al
the expiration of three the help began 10 60
in a few al q time until the shop was run
With about half a crew. August lst, the
old price list with the international Shoe
Worker. Union ran out and q new list was
necessary for another year. AT this time
came the cutdovn in the stitching room.
the cut in prices averaging about 10 per
cent. The young ladies of the stitching
room rolled up their aprons and left the
shop. This then brought on the trouble
which the Manufacturers Association, TO
which the Pray Small Company was joined,
referred back to the firm to settle
The local advisory board Of the Boot and
Shoe Workers' Union made oseffares TO
the firm, in which & proposition TO work
for slight cutdown was rejected by the
srm. and the board was given 10 under
stand that the only settlement thai could be
made would be ,ha, in which the employees
agreed to accept the firms cut list. The
advisory board claims that everything pos
sible has been done by the board 10 settle
the matter in most any way other than TO
accept the firms price list. To-Day all de
paYtnents except the lssters came out of
the shop on the order of strike and the
lasters are only waiting 10 hear from their
own general officers.
In the adjustment Of last springs shoe
trouble the Manufacturer Association
signed an agreement that in the future diff
scul,ies would be settled ''by arbitration
without cessation of labor, but the action
of the Pray, Small Company indorsed by
the manufacturer is declared a violation Of
that Obligation, and if the firm insist upon
this method the employees of the shops 10
the association will be affected and greater
trouble may ensue.
Street rumors are numerous, one to the
effect that the association intends to take
advantage of hard times TO crush the
unions. Is tfle LiOst tAlhtG VI soAas'
The business men are waking up TO the
case and all look upon ihe strike of toda,
as of the mos, importance to the city. In
the busy season the PRAY & Small shop en-
ployes over 400 men and women and that
Is practically the number now idle through
this trouble.
Next Monday evening there will be .
mass meeting or all shoe factory employee
in the two cities. General Secretary Skefi-
ington of the Boot & Shoe Workers Union
and General Secretary Daley Of the Lasters
Union will address the meeting.
Should the trouble eIiend 10 other shops
the effect upon the business Of the cit.
will be of the most serious, as between 2Ooo
and 1900 people are employed IN the shoe
shops of Auburn.
one prominent shoe firm has been at
critical financial point for months, AMI
shutdown would be a benefit to that firm
and may no, be q great loss to the others,
but the general effect throughout the city in
all other business would be more serious
than anything experienced in this city.