Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-11
sHRuM EXPLAINs THE STRIKE.
Secretary of the Building Trades
Council Gives His Version.

Secretary of the Building Trades
Council Gives His Version.
OMAHA, Aug. 10.-To the Editor of the
Bee: 1t is desired that the false impression
conveyed, to those not acquainted with the
facts, by the statements made this morning
under the caption, Showing of the School
Board" should be corrected. l wish to state
officially that President Bell of the Central
Labor Union has nothing whatever to do
with this strike against the school board up
to date, as it is a matter wholly originat-
ing in the Building Trades Council and be-
ing managed by it. Mr.. Bell is not even an
officer of the Building Trades Council, but
as a delegate from his union is obeying the
orders given him by the council, and If he
made the statement, which we believe he
did not, to several workmen, that IF you
do not go out l will have you expelled from
the unions and will bring influence to bear
on the board to have you discharged he
/ did so without authority, as such instruc-
| lions were never given him as the au-
thorized agent of the Building Trades Coun-
ell.
AS to the statement made by members of
the Carpenters union that they would not
come off because their union had no grew
ance and they would not take part in a
sympathetic strike, we wish to say that
their grievance is just the same as the other
unions, viz: That Of the nine carpenters
employed by the board five of them were
non-union men, and by the way it would be
well to state that these same men who are
so Jealous of their personal rights in this free
American country, some time ago applied
to, and through influence of the Carpenters
union were reinstated in their present Job
with this economical Board of Education,
who prefer to give the public work to poltti-
cal wire pullers and ward heelers, who have
no qualification for the labor they are to
perform other than that they were good
workers at the polls last election for U.
Ketchum and I. Skinum, or some other mem
Der of the Board of Education who has a
kite up in the hope that he can by the
use Of his present position obtain some
thing more to his liking from the dear"
and by his estimation at least, ignorant
public.
Now let it be understood that this walk
out or strike is not wholly one against non
union men, and that the unions played a
snap game. Communications to the Board
of Education from the several unions have
been given but the slightest consideration,
and committees were treated with but scane
courtesy to say the most. Nor is it one of a
single union alone, but of all trades, as, for
instance, there was not a single one of the
DTlCklaSeTS eHplOyeu VIII ueiohBo W lie
Bricklayers' union, which at its meeting last
night unanimously endorsed the action OF
the Builling Trades Council and pledged
financial support. Therefore when a member
of that union goes to work for the school
board before this matter is settled he be-
comes subject to the penalties provided for
violation of the rules of his union.
1t is enough to say that if the members
of the school board had placed the matter
of employing mechanics in the hands of the
superintendent of buildings with instruc-
lions to employ no mechanic or
ilaborer except upon his merits, there would
never have been an occasion for a strike
such as is now on, and that method Of en-
ploying men would have resulted in the ems
'ployment of none but competent mechanics
and consequently union men.
In conclusion I will say that there is ~
I split or division amongst members of the
/ unions as to the advisability of the pro.
ceedings, as they all feel that a stand had
to be taken at some time, and circumstance
were such as to warrant action at the pres,
ent. Respectfully,
o. p. HRU Secretary B. T. C.