The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-28
AGAINST THE
MACHINES
The LaSterS' Union Has
Ordered a Strike.
THREAT MADE EFFECTIVE
W0rkmen In Many Factories Re.
sp0nded 10 Unions Order.
THE STRIKE MAY BE EXTENDED.

Brockton, Mass, Sept 2S.-At9o'clock
this morning lasters at work on the
machines under the control of the G..
III. NJ. and NJ. NJ. Company all over the
district of southeastern Massachusetts,
quit work on the machines, in acord-
ance with the orders of the union.
This movement is we'll nigh universal
throughout the district, non-union as
well as unton men in many cases re-
fusing TO longer remain on the ma =
chimes. For long time past the union
has been preparing for just such a
contingency, and the attitude of the
lasters regarding the interference of
the machine company, by putting
agents and instructors at work on ma
chimes deserted by men on strike, had
been ascertained. II was due TO this
preparation that the response was so
universal and that SO many Of the ma
chimes now lie idle.
The lasters of the district had been
thoroughly informed before nand of tl.c
time at which this action on their part
was expected, the decision being first
arrived at by the conference committee
of the district, which is made up Of the
executive boards OF this district. and
being promulgated by the local unions
in different sections.
The unions embraced in this move
ment are situated at Brockton. Whit
man, Rockland, Randolph Holbrooh,
Stoughton, East Weymouth, Middle
boro, New Bedford, and every shop I'm
this section of Massachusetts in which
the unions have control is affected.
Ii is the most general and united strike
of shoe lastcrs that has been known
for many years, and the fact that
should this not win the day against the
machine company, the strike will be
extended TO every shop in the state
and possibly to every shop in the coun-
try operating machines controlled by
the consolidated companies, makes 1t
one of the gravest situations which has
been faced by the shoe industry and
those dependent upon il.
The strike affects the shops in this
city which have settled their differences
with the local union in the present
strike i'm Brockton. the same as all
others. but the union has provided for
the relief of the manufacturers in
these cases and i'm others where the
strike does not exist at present for a
new wage schedule, by instructing the
men 20 commence on hand lasting In
all such factories where the manufac-
turers so desire. In anticipation OF
the movement NnltI Ndhtli pidtt
many OF the firms made arrangements
for putting their men at work after 3
o'clock today lasting by hand, and
these shops are running as usual with
little interruption.
The fact that by working i'm crews
of operator and "puller-on," as on ma
chine work the lasters can, by hand
turn out practically as many shoes as
can be done on the machines, makes
the Significance of the strike against
the machine company as far as the in
terference 10 business is concerned,
somewhat immaterial The hand work
will naturally be new for time TO
some of the lasters, but they Will soon
be able to turn out the work satisfac-
torily. say the union men, and matters
at the shops will progress as If nothing
out of the ordinary had happened. The
machines which are controlled by the
consolidated companies are the Chase
Consolidated. known familiarly as the
"nigger," the Boston Tacker and the
Universal. Those used almost exclus-
lively i'm the district now affected are
the Chase and the Consolidated ma
chimes
BY the strike Of today 1900 men ad-
diticnal TO those already on strike are
affected.