The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-25
ONE SILLY UNION STRIKE.
sATIsFIED WORKMEN ORDERED OUT
OF CLAFLIH'S

Fifteen Hundred Of Them, Protesting That
| They Had No Complaint Against Their
| Employers, Called Into the street In m
Effort by Their Union 10 Seize Control
OF Part of tho Firms BusineRs.
The Cloakmaker's Union day or two ago
ordered general strike Of the cloak makers
employed by the r. b. Clalln Company. The
employees were receiving union wages. they
had no grievances and they protested against
going out. Even the delegates OF the union
admitted thatthere was no fault to find with
the wages or the conditions OF labor.
Wages had been raised voluntarily By the
firm week before the strike was ordered. and
the employees declared that they were perfectly
satisfied and that they had not single com
plant to make. But the union was not salts
fod. 1t drew up schedule OF iron bound rules
and regulations to DO observed by the Arm.
which. IL agreed to, would have virtually turned
over the control OF the cloakmakng DEPART
ment to tho union Armed with this schedule.
walking delegate OF the union called on the
superintendent and told him tina: unless the
firm signed an agreement to Observe those
rules and regulations and gave bonds for the
due fulnllment Of the agreement UP to Jauu-
airy. there would be strike.
The superintendent declined to turn over
the control Of the department to the union. A
shop meeting Of the employees was hold and
the outside" hands. 1900 In number. went on
strike. against their own convictions, In obc-
dience to the dictatlon OF tho union. Tho
inside hands held shop IN Getting on Wsdnes-
day and decided to strike yesterday. They
concluded yesterday morning. "a they had no
complaint against their EN- poyers. to Nnlsh UP
their days work before going out. This gave
them time TO reflect. and by afternoon they
had arrived at the fusion that they knew
L., 4 I.tt.
than the officers Of the union did. and thoy de-
ternined to remain at work in defiance OF tho
union. In the meantime those who had gone
on strike. knowing that tho firm would never
recede from its position began to realize that
the game was not worth the candle. revolt
again st the tyranny Of the union has started.
and therc are complaints all around among the
misled members that the union has deuded
them and exceeded its p-eroGaives. Some OF
the men have asked to be taken back and q
break in the strike is expected to-day.
George A. McKelvey. the General Superin-
tendent. said yesterday that the Arm is always
willing to pay the best prices. but must run its
own business.
There were three visits. at least. by the
walking delegate" William Clarke. Superln-
tcndent OF the CloakmakinE Department.
said. We had sent to the contractors to find
out what tho mon wanted. as tho wages are
always raised at this time OF the year. ard as
soon as We know what they would demand we
raised the wages to that point. 80 as to avoid
any trouble. Then the union called shop meet
ings and sent the walking delegate with a
paper to be signed. We told him that we were
willing to pay the best wages. but that we
should run our own business. Then he went
away and came back another day requiring the
signing OF an agreement and the giving OF
bonds for its fulflllment until January.
The agreement. II signed. would have given
the union control over the department. The
demands were ridiculous. or course. they wero
refused. upon which the alkng delegate said.
You know what that means intending to I'M
rly that strike would follow. Then he went
ont. He called again, but ! was not In. Last
Tuesday notices were sent to the men calling
q shop eetlng Tho outside hands attended
t. They never came hack to work The In
side hands. after deciding to strike to- day.
have taken their work for to- morrow. so their
strike Is of. Tho others admit that they did
not want TO strike. and some OF them want to
get back
This is the silllest strike ever heard Of
Tho union. in fact. keeps extra good men some
times from getting ahead by prescribing high
wages for incompetent men. which OF course
pulls down tho good men to their level Tho
best men. therefore, have not the best show"