The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-02
Troubles Over the Work on the
Big Building in Butte.
MUST END TOMORROW
That Il the Word Sent TO the Piasterers
Who Quit Work Yeeterday-It Is
. Question About Men
Lately Brought In.

talking Of allying themselves to COM
bat what they call the arbitrary meth
DDS OF the Plasterers' union. The latest
strike was inaugurated yesterday as a
result OF Boss Plasterer NJ. f. Smith.
who has the contract for plastering the
Hennessy building and the Hale house.
having put four new men from out Of
town at work at the Hale house. AS
soon as the walking delegate of the
Plasterers' union learned of the men
being put to work the men OF both the
Plasterers' and Hold Carriers unions
were called out.
Boss Plasterer Smith, when seen rela-
tiv to the strike, said: THE present
difficulty Is primarily the result of the
previous strike. when a higher rate Of
wages was demanded. When the in
crease In wages was demanded I paid
II very readily and supposed there
would be no further difficulty. but the
pressing necessity for getting the Hem
messy and Hale house finished has re-
suited in another controversy. We had
10 get these buildings done, and to do II
had TO have more men. They were not
to be had here. so We wired to Mime
apolis and had 10 plasterers sent on.
They were all union men and brought
their cards, but when they got here the
'S A'AtEtb ~ IttoRDlZe Inem.
supposing we had brought them in 10
take the place of local men and reduce
the wages back TO Sc a day. This was
not the purpose, however. and we were
10 pay the new men the increased wage
or ~ a day, the same as the local. and
as i said. the men were merely brought
IN because ] could not get men enough
mere TO get these buildings done as ear
~ as was desired. The local union re-
FUSED 10 view tho r,aftar L. AT. IT,.
and claiming there are men enough TO
be had here. still refuse to honor the
cards or the new men. I put -four Of
the new men at work this morning and
the walking delegate came around and
called all the men out"
Speaking of what he terms the arbi-
trary methods OF the plasterers, Mr..
smith said: 1T seems to me the boss
plasterers have borne about ali that
patience can endure. Some months ago
the union adopted a rule making a
great reduction in the amount of finish
ed work required OF one man for a davis
work. On top Of that came the demand
or 81 a day extra, which was also con-
ceded, and which rave the men virtual
~ a 80 a day increase. when he de
creased lays work is considered. and
now they refuse to let any more men
come TO town. II seems TO me their
conduct Is the height of arbitrariness"
refer Cammans, delegate for the
a trade council. who called the
men out, In giving the plasterers' side
or the case, said the reason the cards
or the imported men were not recog-
nlZed was thai out OF the 10 men
IN. only one had a card tina
mas the seal Of his union on IL. "Thev
all had cards. but without the seal how
are we 10 know they were genuine.
w men tour or these men. whose cards
had not been honored. were put 10 work
course we had TO order the local
out. II Is said as an excuse for
bringing the men in. hat capable men
be secured here to do the work. |
out nat is not true. There are plenty
men here n as capable ones as
can be found in the United States"
James Leck. superintendent of con-
,truction on the Hennessy and Hale
buildings. when seen said:
For some reason, I don't know
IL vas because some of the
could not, or would not, do the
work properly. the plastering was NOT
being done satisfactorily. n / told
Smith, the boss plasterer, the work
would not be accepted and that II he
could not get men here who could and
would do n good job. he must get them
somewhere else as the Jobs must be
finished and properly. The result was
Nv biilElHS III Oh III OutSl0e mcChanlCS. I
The local unions saw At to refuse TO
their cards, and when some OF
them were put to work. the strike was
ordered"
When the men were called out. Sup
e~rintendent Leck notified the parties in
interest In the erection OF the buildings
and they, feeling the unions were act
-ng with u~nwarranted arbitrariness. in
Mr.. Leck 10 inform the Plas-
terers' and Hod-Carriers' unions that
unless work was resumed Tomorrow (
morning no members Of the two unions
would ever be given employment in
he future by the Anaconda
Accordingly Leck sent to the Plaster
Frs union the following communica-
ION:
Butte, Montana. Oct. L, 1898. To
he Plasterers' Association Of Butte
Gentlemen: l have been his
directed by the management OF the
anaconda Copper Mining company TO
an ultimatum TO your body rela-
i've to differences hat have arisen in
with certain buildings in
the officers OF the aforesaid COM
,any are interested and which are now
n course OF erection. Work on the
building referred TO was stopped Sat-
irday, Oct. ], as a result of these differ
1T Is Imperative that these buildings
'e finished without delay. As I under
the present strike. IT was ordered
or the reason hat nonresident me-
.hanics were brought to the city 10
work on these buildings. our reason
or bringing In nonresident mechanics
vas, that we were unable to secure a
number of efficient mechanics
o do the plastering on these buildings
n a manner acceptable TO the superin-
within the time in which the
must be completed. I disclaim
my other motive in bringing in the
nonresident men. The plastering was
lot being don satisfactorily. and /
ave directions TO NJ. l.. Smith, the
,oss plasterer in charge of the work.
hat IL he could not secure enough ca
able mechanics here 10 do the work
properly, he must get them outside.
i am satisfied Mr.. Smith exhausted
resource In the effort TO get me-
hanics who were capable before send
ng away for men. These facts being
rue, when the strike was ordered Sat-
rday morning, i communicated IN in