The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-24
City Workmen Oh
ject Unemployment
of a Non-uniOnist.
SIX men REFUSE TO GO TO WORK.
The Matter Will Be Dis
cussed by a Board Of Ar
bitration Today.

The city government became involun-
tarily interested in strikes yesterday.
Differences of opinion which existed be-
tween wofkmen and employees in two
branches of work where the city treas
ury is the paymaster, were lifted into
prominence yesterday morning.
When the employees of the city de-
partmont reported at the stables in Sa-
lem street there was dissatisfaction
among the union PAYERS, and because
of inability to adjust matters, six men
who had been at work on Vernon, Arch
and West streets refused to work. The
trouble was primarily caused by the
advent Of A. j. Langfeldt, a non-union
payer, into the band of staunch trades
union advocates.
Last week objections were made to
the presence of Langfeldt on the ground
that he was a non-union man. Lang
feldt who is believed to have frs. VS.
tied this city as New Yorker, has oeen
a contractor himself, and because Of
depressed business conditions now
works in the same circle he once con-
trolled as employer.
Wednesday evening j. d. Pierce. pres
ident of the Central Labor union, was
appealed to for assistance. He repre-
scented the PAYERS union in Its fight
against the non-unionist. Mr.. Pierce
talked with Langfeldt, and suggested
that it was not too late to be unionize4.
All that was necessary to preserve
peace, according to Mr.. Pierce was for
Langfeldt to recognize the justness of
his fellow workmen's demands, and be
come, like themselves, a union man.
After the conference with Mr.. Eierca
there seemed a strong possibility of the
matter healing up. Thursday Langfeldt
did not work, and the PAYERS believed
that he was at headquarters in Boston
arranging for membership in the local
union. Friday Langfeldt appeared at
the city stables for work, but he save
no expression of sentiment regarding
his ideas of unionism. The next day 1t
became apparent that Langfeldt was
not seriously considering the idea OF be-
coming a member of the PAYERS union,
and a final appeal was made. H was
Indifferent.
Yesterday morning when the PAYERS
entered the city stable, it was their
intention to confer with Street Com
missioner Wright S. Prior, relative to
the employment of the nen-union man.
The street commissioner did not APP
pear but his brother, Assistant Street
Commissioner B. H. Prior, had a short
talk with the men. His stand was that
he did not propose to be dictated to
by the PAYERS union. He considered
Langfeldt a good Workman, and or
dered him to join the PAYERS gang and
work as though nothing had happened.
Something did happen though, for
the half dozen unionists refused to
work until Langfeldt became union
man or was discharged The strikers
went to labor headquarters at once,
and sought the aid of J. D. Pierce in
restoring the condition among the paw
ers to that which prevailed previous to
the advent of Langfeldt.
Jefferson D. Pierce hunted up Coun-
Gilman James F. Ryan, who is a mem
Der of the committee on streets, and
proceeded to city hall for conference
with Mayor Dodge The mayor was at
home and listened to q recital of the
grievance against the city. An attempt
was made to reach Street Commissioner
w S. Prior and have him present at
the hearing, but Mr.. Prior was not
found. At the suggestion of Mr.. Ryan,
the mayor consented to a four-cornered
board of arbitration In which his honor,
Messrs Pierce, Prior and Ryan shall
constitute the official board, to meet at
10 o'clock this forenoon.
Mr.. Pierce opened the conference yes
terday afternoon and summed UP his
case in a statement that the only point
at issue was that the man in question
is not a member of the PAYERS union.
He said that the union is well organized
and will stand by it's rules. About five
weeks ago a non-union payer, said to
hail from New York state, and not
citizen, was given employment by
Street Commissioner Prior. The matter
was referred to the union and Lang
a. 49, IO,tx, MS
also asked to see that the man went
into the union. The organization met
last Wednesday but Langfeldt failed
To come into the fold Thursday he was
taken off the job by the street commits
sioner but was allowed to return to
work the following day, when, accord
ing to Mr.. Pierce, Langfeldt declined
to come into the union, despite the in
yitation of his fellow woTkmen. Neither
would Mr.. Prior discharge the man nor
request him to join the organization.
Mayor Dodge said that he had no,
objection to any employee of the city
being a member of a trade union, but
he did not purpose to direct any man
of non-union tendencies to join such
organization. He does not believe in
Interfering in mans religious polit-
zeal or lodge associations. Consequent
Nv he could not consistently, in his Of
fetal capacity, direct the street com.
missioner to discharge the employee in
ouestion. He does not consider It his
duty to order the man discharged, or
advise to join the union or dictate his
conduct in any way aside from that OIL
dinarily vested in a. city official.
Councilman Ryan thought it injudi-
eGous on the part of Mr., Prior to take
the stand he has taken at this particu-
ior time. as it will not only create
strife. but result in the mayor being
harrassed continually until the matter
is settled.
The mayor said further that the city
being a corporation, he did not con-
slider that any individual has a right
10 dictate the mana cement Of en-
ployees. He remarked the case of the
canterbury street school house, when
he directed Supt. Peck TO hire the best
worknen whether union or non-union.
He did not consider he had right to
discriminate in his official capacity.
Mr.. Pierce claimed the case in ques-
ton differs in that the non-unton men
employed at that time were taken from
tine civil service list while the man In
question was not.
Mr.. Prior was sent for, but. was
about the city looking after his work.
and could not be communicated with.
Mr. RYAN suggested the conference be
.,.,+i1 t1,iu morning when MIR.