The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-16
PLUMBERS START THE STRIKE.
LOCKOUT OF ALL BUILDING TRADE
UNIONS THREATENED.

Wages Hefused-SO Far Only Part
of Journeymen Have Gone Out
The Move Regarded as a Forerun-
ner of Trouble fort Building
Trades-BuiIders' Exchange May
Shut Down on All work and Force
the Issue with Carpenters Union,
Instead of Waiting JntiI May. 1.
the Local Union of Journeymen Plumb
ers. Gas Filters, Steam Filters and Steam
Filters Helpers No lSs went out on a
strike yesterday for shorter hours and in
creased wages.
This is looked on as the beginning of sim
liar action that may involve all of the
labor unions in Savannah in a general
strike.
The action of the plumbers was brought
about by the refusal of the master plumb
ers to accede to the demands that we're
made by the union men. These demands,
which were first made Nov. l. were for
a working day of nine hours for each day
of the week except Saturday, which should
be only eight hours, ana also that there
should be a fixed scale Of wages paid 10
members of the union at the rate of 81. 80
day for a workman of four years 'ex-
perieuce, 81 for one of five years, and for
one who had completed the full course
of six years, 81 a day.
This demand the master plumbers were
notified they must comply with by Nov.
10. They replied that they would have to
have more time to consider it. After the
matter had been discussed the journey
men were told that the master plumbers
would grant the hours If they could be
assured that The combination men, as the
plumbers who own shops but do their
own work are called, would enter into an
agreement not to work longer hours than
the journeymen demanded. There are II
of these combination shops and the Jour
neymen say that fourteen Of them signed
the agreement asked for by the master
plumbers. The master plumbers were then
sent further notice that unless the de-
mands OF the journeymen were compiled
with strike would be ordered on Feb.
15. To this notice no reply was made, ana
yesterday the strike took place.
Although there are thirty-four men in
the union, not all of them have quit work,
as number are employed by firms which
they say, have complied with their de
mands, and others are still employed on
work contracted for before Feb. l.
The firms principally affected by the
strike are l.. A. Mccarthy, p. II. Herman,
and 7. J. O'Brien, all members Of the
Builders Exchange. Mr.. Mccarthy en-
y
quit Mr.. Herman employs four, and Mr..
OBrien six, and all of these men showed
up to work, but II is not known how long
they will stay, as the union in bringing all
of its influence to bear TO keep them in
line with the rest of the strikers and it
is claimed that they were at work finish
ing up jobs that were contracted for be-
fore Feb. I, and as soon as these Jobs are
completed they, too, will join the union
men.
The strikers say that If the master
plumbers do not concede their demands
by Saturday night meeting win be held
Sunday, and that general strike of all
the plumbers in the city VIII be ordered
whether working for firms that have
made the concession or not. They claim
10 have the sympathy Of the allied build
ing trades unions in the city and it is
quite poss bic that there may be a general
strike Of all Of the labor employed in the
building trade
As evidence of this fact it is pointed
out that the carpenters and joiners Of the
city have made a demand for shorter
hours to go into effect May !, and that the
timers and sheet iron workers have made
what they term a request of a similar ma
ture to go into effect March l.
Ii was reported last night that such
general strike as the plumbers had sail
might be expected had been ordered by
President +. NJ. Corey of the Savannah
Trades and Labor Assembly. He was seen
by representative Of the Morning News
ana asked II such was the case or il such
move was contemplated, He explain "a
that to order a general strike was not in
his jurisdiction as such matters, before be
ing referred 10 him, would have 10 come
before the Building Trades Council, and.
although it might have been referred u
that body, he was not officially aware Of
the fact.
The master plumbers affected by the
f-f1x 49,
the outlook; 1t may inconvenience them
for while they say, but they are none
of them too old to get out their tools and
40 the work themselves, or if worse comes
TO worse, men can be had from other
cities. As members of the Builders Ex-
change they have the moral anI material
support OF that organization in their fight,
and in this organization there viii be no
split as all of the members realize that
the plumbe are having TO contend now
with conditions that they may expect in
the near future, and that to concede one
point would mean thai they would have to
give away all along the line. Many of the
members. it is said would be willing 10
grant some of the points for which the
union men are contending, but are uuWl-
ling to do so under the pressure that Is
being brought 10 bear as they believe II
would be a bad precedent and would en-
courage further demands that they are
both unwilling and unable to grant
The matter of the plumbers strike was
brought TO their attention at yesterdays
meeting, and was discussed in all of its
bearings. though no decisive action was
taken. Another meeting will be held this
morning, however at which 1t
is thought that things will come
to focus. and il is not
at all improbable that the builders may
decide 20 anticipate general strike such
as they are threatened with by shutting
down all work on which they are now en-
gagged and waiting for settlement of the
troubles before resuming. The consensus
of opinion seems TO be that though such
an action might entail some small loss on
contracts on which there is a time limit.
yet Il would be preferable to the other
alternative.
One of the leading builders summed up
the whole view of the case by saying that
1t had become a question whether the
builders are 10 run their own ,vnrl, or 1nt