The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-18
COMMITTEES COULDN'T AGREE
BUILDERS AND JOTRNEYMEN
PLUMBERS FAIL TO COME TO
TERMS.

Union Men Emphasize Their De-
mands-UnIess the Master Plumb
ers Conform to Their Scale OF
Wages and a Reduction In Work.
ing Hours They Propose to Under
take "A Cooperative shop scheme.
Another Conference to BE Held To-
dny-The Objects of the Builders
Exchange.
The two committees of six from the
Builders Exchange and the Plumbers
Union held a secret session at the rooms
of the Builders Exchange last night
Nothing was given out as to the confer
ence.
Al the meeting of the Builders Exchange
in the morning ii had been decided to make
a definite proposition to the journeymen
This proposition was that the master
plumbers would agree TO a scale Of wage
from $l.75 10 Sc per day for mechanics of
all kinds, the builders 20 be the judges OF
the efficiency of the men employed, and if
this offer was accepted by the plumbers,
the master plumbers would sign a contract
for twelve months. The committee from
the exchange was not given the power 10
act. however, and even should the propo-
siblon be accepted by the journeymen its
ratification will have to be made by the
Builders Exchange which will meet to-
morrow morning.
As the proposition rejects entirely the
journeymen's demands for the shorter
hours it is hardly likely that it viii be
accepted. Besides the members of the ex-
change arc unanimous on this point that
no matter what the scale of wages be
they viii not grant shorter hours.
At the meeting of the exchange Mr.. l..
A. Mccarthy again called on the members
TO put into effect the resolution, declaring
that upon the strike of any one of the
unions the builders composing the eX-
change would close down building opera
tons until the matter had been adjusted.
This request caused considerable discus
sion, but IL was finally voted down by the
discovery, upon a second reading of the
resolution. that II stated that the builders
would close when a union had struck as
a whole. Inasmuch as the plumbers have
not gone out as a body, 1t was, claimed
that Mr. McCarthy's contention did not
hold good, and the members refused his
request
agreement last night. The builders are
determined not to grant shorter hours, and
the plumbers are equally determined TO
enforce their demand or go out on a gen.
eral strike that viii involve every man
in the union. They have not done SO be-
fore, they say, because they prefer to have
the matter discussed fully by representa-
tives of both sides before undertaking a
general strike. Their men are not yet
ready for stringent measures. but to-mor-
row the conditions will be changed, they
claim and every master plumber who has
not met their demands by Tomorrow morn
ing will find himself without workmen.
Already measures for getting along
without the work of the master plumbers
are being devised. One is organizing a
sort of cooperative shop, six men form
ing a partnership. each putting in IS to
secure a license and do a plumbing bust
ness themselves. 1t is even said that IL
this plan is adhered to the men working
in such shops would not only be in "a po-
sition to underbid the present master
plumbers, but would make il their nusi-
ness to do So and they have no hesitancy
in saying that once they are forced to
embark in such scene they will be in il
to stay
A meeting of the Plumbers Union will
be held at Labor Hail this morning al
which will be present both the president
and the secretary, who have come up from
Tybee, where they are employed. The
committee which met the committee or
the Builders Exchange will report, and
upon the nature of the report will depend
the future action of the union.
IL was generally understood last night
that the cold wave and Consequent freez-
ing of many Of the water pipes is one of
the strongest cards that the union holds.
and II the damage to plumbing is great
hers Will IN IA
TO the demands OF the union.
To put their organiZal ion in it's true
Hight before the public and to avoid any
misunderstanding as to its character and
objects, the following statement was pre-
pared by the officers Of the Builders Ex-
change:
THE character and object of the organ
ization is the encoura cement and protec-
ton of the building interests in this city,
TO inculcate just and equitable principles,
TO establish and maintain uniformity in
commercial usages, to acquire, preserve,
and disseminate business information;
and to avoid, and adjust as far as prac-
ticable, the controversies and misunder-
standings. which are apt TO arise between
individuals engaged in trade, when they
have no ACKNOWLEDGE rules to guide
them; to the end, that membership in this
organization may be an assurance to the
public OF skill, honorable reputation and
probity. The association Is composed of
contractors in the various branches Of
constructive work used in the erection of
buildings, and one of its purposes is the
maintenance of reading and exchange
rooms affording facilities for informa-
ton, and the interchange and discussion
cfysocial, architectural and business mat
ters.
The association affirms that absolute
personal independence of the individual to
work or not to work. 10 employ or not TO
employ, Is a fundamental principle, which
should never be questioned nor assailed
thai upon this principle depends the Sc
Guilty Of our whole social fabric, and
business prosperity, ana employers and
workmen should be equally interested in
its defense and preservation. The special
aims of the association are. first, to make
membership a reasonable assurance to the
public of the skin. honesty and RESPONSE
bility of its me mbers second, TO provide
methods and means whereby members
may avail themselves Of the greater power
Of combined effort, through the association.
acting as an authoritative body. Ia de
mandins and securing just and honora Bile
dealing from the public, whom they serve.
- t-f yI