The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-15
STONE-CUTTERS ARE OUT
THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT SCALE
MADE by THE CONTRACIORs.
A Long Meeting Of tho Union Last Night,
who's Positive Action was Taken
A Statement

Members OF the Richmond branch OF
the Granite Cutters National Union TO
the number Of about one hundred met
last evening at Lee Camp Hall 10 con-
slider the communication received from
the Granite Contractors Association,
making a new scale OF wages. a full re-
port OF which has already been published
in The Times The meeting lasted until
midnight. quite a number of speeches
were made. and at times high state OF
| feeling and excitement was shown.
The new scale o. prices made by the
Granite Contractors Association. the
! Stonecutters claim, rs cut in wages,
| and that they viii not be able TO make
| - per day, the amount they have mere
! tOfOre earned.
On the other hand. the contractors say
! that the changes viii enable "A frst-class
! workman TO make - a day, or little
! over, while the Inferior wOrkmen would
! not make so much and that they did
! not think II right that the slow and in
ferior wOrkmen should receive as much
as a iirst-class cutter
WILL NOT ACCEPT.
About eighty men are affected by the
new scale. and the meeting last evening
decided without dissenting voice not 10
accept the new scale of wages, conse-
quenuy the granite works of Messrs.
Ja.. NetherwoOd, AlonzO Brown. Mason
Son, the Richmond Granite Company, the
NeStnam Granite Company and Robert !
Gimmel, the eight contractors who com I
pose the association, viii be- idle except /
~ few cases where the men are az work /
by the piece. and they Will finish the !
piece work already agreed upon at the
The only contractors I'm this vicinity
who have not entered into the agreement
for the new scale are Mossrs McIntire
d Reenie' OF Chesterfield. who have
large contract with this city for curbing
ana other stone, and several other smaller
\ member Of the union said that there
was perfect accord between these firms
and their men, and that both were sat
isiied with the scale of wages. and no
trouble was looked for from that quarter.
In speaking of the matter the stone
cutters refer to IL as q lockout. and say
that as they cannot accept the scale OF
wages offered them, they will not 80 %
work unless some further overture from
the contractors IS made them
STAT MINT
At the close Of the meeting last even
Ing, when | asked for a report OF the
proceedings. l was handed the following
"ritten statement. which was said 10
ONE from Mr. j. NJ Blunt. the president
IF the Richmond Branch of the Granite
'utters' National Union
"All that We have TO say in connection
With the matter is that the contractors d
unlimited q scale of prices which We. in
usuce to our families and ourselves as
mechanics. could not accept. We are now |
over I'm our scale than the majority Of
ne leading cities We wish 90 state that ]
he term strike does not apply 10 this s.
iiiiculty. as the employers i'm their com D.
1unicaton 10 us stated that If we did Z
ot accent their terms their yards would ! r
e. closed 10 us." s
I'm conversation aftcrwarl. Mr.. Blunt q
aid that the real effect Of the new scale d
as T. cut the wages of the men from b
; 20 81 tN day. D.
In reference 10 the statement Of the a.
'ntrdctOrs tnat the scale was arrauA-t j.
D that the best workmen might make C..
yer 50 day and the slower men ace
riding TO the quantity and quality of
Dee Work done. Mr.. blunt sand iuat while
le standard days pay IF the Onion was 49,.
a day, there was a piece scale for 4.
oN men. SAID me-. "If taxes q Very good h"
an % make 50 "a day on the old scale. ,,
ld he cannot do ii on the new" ~
Mr.. w. X. Mason. Of he firm Of Mason ! a..
Sims, secretary of the Granite Con- Nj
actors Association. Wteu informed last ~
lesday of what the stOnc-cutters said 80
ey would do II the old prices We're not
said
Well, let them go out If they like We
IN get other men 10 take their places 90
lihout any serious trouble. ] have been WI
member Of the RECRUITERS Union.
I'D ! know exactly how the organization ca
run. \ few members control the whole am
ing. We have submitted our prices h.
lich we regard as fair to both sides an
q If they refuse 10 agree 10 Them why ~
to If" sunni '''"' '7 d." 'hei' J
he contractors, it is said. are firm In sly
PIT dctcfmlnatiOn 90 hold 10 IN. scale -
opted, ana as some of them have con-
ClS Whch they are compelled 10 nh M
' 'lnpb1iy, they VIII likely try to secure 4