Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-04
CHICAGO LABOR.
Strike Situation Develops a Com.
pIete Change.
TROUBLE AMONG THE PLUMBERS,

Men Repudiate Arbitration and Go Out to
Enforce Rule for Only One Helper to
Shop-Likely to Result in a Sympa-
thetic Strike That Will Involve &c, 900
Men of Various Trades-Position of the
Employers on the Controversy.
Chicago, May 4.-Since Saturday there
has been complete about face in
the strike situation. Yesterday there
seemed to be, according to authorities
In the various unions, an eminent pessi-
bility of sympathetic strike. Satur-
day the question most at variance was
the one which disturbed the junior
steamfitters. The main issue yesterday
switched around to the journeymen
plumbers, who went out in defiance of
their arbitration committee. The
plumbers are at complete outs with the
masters over the employment of help
ers. The union insists but one helper
be employed in each shop, whether small
or large. The employers take the stand
that to discharge or lock out the help
ers would be to deprive of a means of
livelihood great number of young men
who are learning the business and who
are just as deserving of work as the
journeymen plumbers.
Masters Must Sign the Agreement.
All the headquarters of the union on
Washington street there was hustle and
confusion. Upstairs the members were
holding a meeting behind closed doors,
and in the Office the business agent,
James Kennedy. had numerous blanks
spread over his desk. awaiting the COM
inc .,r
sign the agreement. During the morn
ing several master plumbers came in
and signed, though at first with some
hesitation over a point which was set
tied satisfactorily to both parties. The
master plumbers who came in were will
ing to sign, providing the agreement
would be declared void in case their
association repudiated all negotiations
and there came a general strike. Ken
nedy said he had great hopes of a set
tlement of the difficulties. The plan of
the union al the present hour is to nego-
tiate with the individual employers and
to have no dealings with the association.
Each master plumber who wishes to re-
tain his men must go to the headquar-
ters of the union and sign the agree
mert to employ but one helper in his
shop.
Hodcarriers and Other Strikers.
The action of the Chicago Federation
of Labor in pledging it's support to the
striking hodcarriers has put a new
backbone into that end Of the strike.
Beyond this strengthening influence the
situation of the union is much the same
as it was Saturday. The leaders are
confident of securing the signatures of
the contractors to their agreements and
hniy
that end. With the derrickmen and the
bridge and structural ironworkers there
is practically no change. The latter
organization is leading the individual
situation. The acquiescence of the I'm
ion and Elmira Bridge company has not
been secured. but no representative of
the concern is in the city. 1t is un-
derstood, however. the firm has no OBJ
lection to the demanded increase.
Main Fight Is on the Plumbers.
The master steamfitters deny the as
sertion of Business Agent Madden, of
the junior steamfitters. that most of the
contractors had signed the agreement
to increase wages. One of the members
of the former organization said at the
meeting of the masters on Saturday the
members pledged themselves to sign no
agreement for the present. The juniors
are using the methods of the hodcarriers
and the plumbers are comforting with
the Individual contractors As before
stated. the main fight hinges on the jour
neymen plumbers. Their demand would
leave about 800 helpers employed. There
are 1,400 in the city. Many of them are
unemployed.
Sympathetic Strike to Follow.
The Building Trades council has, as
yet. taken no action in regard to the
strike. 1t is almost inevitable, however.
if the plumbers do not settle their DIFF
ferences shortly there will be a sympa-
thetic strike declared. This would in
volve something like 10000 men. Will
lam Sherman, secretary of the Building
Trades council. is of the opinion matters
will be amicable adjusted. On the other
hand. Secretary Stivers. of the Chicago
Federation OF Labor, thinks there is
great possibility of a general strike. 1t
will probably be two or three days be-
fore anything definite viii come out Of
the tangle.