The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-02
EXPENSIVE SMOKES.
Railway Men Indorse
Action of Central
Labor Unions.
NON-UNION BARRIERS BARRED
Fines Will Be Imposed For
Smoking Blacklisted
Cigars.
NON-UNION BARRIERS BARRED

the Amalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees of America, in
Reform Club hall, last evening, three
/ candidates were initiated.
The really important business Of the
/ session came when it was voted to in
dorse the action OF the Central Labor
Union in its stand taken against the
/ purchase Of cigars manufactured by
| Carl UDmann, that firm being at vari-
ance with the International Cigar Ma
| kers Union. The street railway men
voted to impose a fine of 81 on any
member who buys or smokes the pro-
duct Of the Upmann factory.
The fine of 81 will be imposed upon
any member, if caught smoking a nom
union cigar, whether it be of the Up
mann brand or not. Every conductor
the ears of passengers who have Law
ished cigars upon them, that only I'M
ion product can be puffed. Acceptance
OF non-union cigar does not put the
member under penalty of being fined.
He has the right reserved to give the
obnoxious weed to a friend, even
| though he be a brother member of the
association. and then have the extreme
satisfaction Of seeing the offender give
one cold plunker for the privilege of
tasting the forbidden fruit
After the cigar fine act had been leg
islated, the attention of the members
was called to the horrors of non-union
barber shops. II was voted to have a
fine of 50 cents placed on each member
Of the local division who crosses the
! threshold of a barber shop which does
not recognize the union scale. Some of
the members have, for the sake of con-
Fenience, patronized a shop where the
man in charge shaves with a real razor
TOT nickel, and then throws a towel
at the customer TO wine the stray
specks Of lather off, on his way TO the
door
John O'Brien was elected delegate to
the convention of the state branch of
the American Federation of Labor, at
North Adams, Oct. 2. j. j. Murphy
was elected alternate.
Secretary William Crosbie of the local
union OF painters and decorators. said
last night that the statement in an
evening paper purporting TO come from
Dr. Kelley in which it was said that the
local union had investigated the Kelley
& Delehanty trouble and had refused TO
strike is unfOunded. Mr.. Crosbie said
that union painters are at work upon
the building pending a decision by the
executive board. A strike has never
| been mentioned in connection with the
trouble with the physicians.
The Painters and Decorators union
| Endorsed the action of the Building
Trades council and by that act the
| members are in duty bound TO keen
| away from the boycotted building under
penalty OF losing their standing as labor
unionists
Mr.. Crosbie is busy negotiating for
the adjustment of the differences which
| resulted in the formation of two nation
| al bodies of painters and decorators, the
Lafayette and Baltimore factions He
| is vice president of the Lafayette sec
| ton Of the organized craft, and is con-
| fident that a reconciliation will be ef-
| fected. The legal cases instituted by
| the Lafayette faction viii not be drop
| ped until every assurance of a peace
| able settlement has been made. The
| cases will then be CRASHED, and the
| painters and decorators will be under
one national constitution.
| The biggest boom in the history of To-
| cal labor unions was in labor head
| quarters last night, when 60 candidates
| were initiated as members of the local
| machinists' union Thirty-two applica-
| tons for membership were received
| and the committee on membership re-
| ported that at the meeting Friday night
at least so more applications will be re-
| ceived
The growth of the union has been
| phenomenal Less than month ago a
| charter was applied for, and the mem
| bership was then about 80 At the last
meeting the number was increased to
| 49, and last nights meeting placed the
| enrolment of Worcester's youngest la
| Dor union at 10S The charter will be
kept open until after the meeting Fri
day night, and the new union will be
| officially designated as Worcester
Lodge No. $685. International Associa-
ton of Machinists
| Twenty minutes of each meeting will
be devoted to a discussion of political
| economy and trades conditions. Pa
pers upon the subject will be read by
members, and there will be a general
| discussion. 1t is also planned to have
what no local union has ever had, a
permanent headquarters, which will be
| open every evening. A school of me-
| chanical drawing will also be estab-
! lished and sessions will be held three
| evenings in each week.
The union has established a fraternal
| society, with a sick and death benefit
| payment Of $50. 1t is proposed to have
| the union conducted along educational
| lines, and introduce a radical change
| from former methods of labor unions
] ne membership now embraces men
i from nearly every machine shop in the
| city, and membership committee will
continue the hustle.
| No demands regarding increase in
/ wages or new shop systems will be con-
| sidered until the union contains a lar
| ger percentage of the total number Of
| machinists in the city. 1t will be the
aim of the union to avoid trouble with
employers, and only in most urgent
cases will action be taken regarding
wage increases and working hour
| schedules.
| William Strauss, representative of the
international Cigar Makers Union, lett
yesterday FOR his home in New York.
| He VIII return next week to conduct the
| fight against the tobacco dealers who
broke the agreement with the cigar
makers regarding the sale Of Upmann
| cigars. which have been placed unde-
| the ban by labor organizations. Mr..
Strauss said yesterday that he had been
assured of the support of members of
every Label union in the city. and that
he had no doubt of being able to con-
duct an effective fight along the lines
already mapped out
| The general committee from the la
| Dor organizations in charge Of the La
| Dor day sports at the oval will meet
in Labor headquarters tomorrow after
noon to make final arrangements. Harry