The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
ENGINEERS HOLD BACK
OPPOSED TO JOINING THE BREWERY
WORKERS. ASSOCIATION.
They Already Have an Organization
and Don't Want to Lose Their
Identity.

The brewery drivers were organized yes
terday afternoon, and steps are being
taken TO organize the stationary engineers
and fremen employed in breweries. The
stablemen come under the jurisdiction of
the drivers union. Some time ago the
United Brewery Workers Association is
sued an edict that all employees of brew
cries must organize under the supervision
of the Brewery Workers Union. The
order was approved by the American Fed
Grafton of Labor and in the last few
months there has been a furry among en-
ployes of all the breweries in the coun-
try. The local Brewery Workers Union
carried the matter 10 Central Labor Union
and Organizer John Feltman was put to
work. with the result of yesterdays
meeting.
The proposition has been resisted to an
extent by the engineers and firemen. They
have an organization OF their own known
as the Stationary Engineers. but il Is
maintained more as an educational insti-
tuition for the craft and a social organiza-
tion than as trades or labor union.
Objections were also made to placing
themselves under the Jurisdiction of the
brewery workers. Yesterday afternoon
the drivers willingly signed an appllca-
for more time and there wero several
heated dscussions
Organizer Feitman acted a chairman of
the meeting and George Miller, organizer
OF the brewery workers as secretary
and both addressed the meeting. Others
who We're present and spoke, were Edgar
A. Perkins, president of the State Fedora
ton OF Labor; Edward Berry. of the Typo
graphical Union, and Ed Gould. editor of
the Union. The engineers contended that
they would lose their identity as union
labor men as soon as they left their po-
sitions on account of discharge or of
their own accord and would not be per-
mitted 10 work any place else other than
over this MISUNDERSTANDING. Then the en-
gineers wanted To organize simply as
brewery workers without classification
of the various crafts- This was resented
by the organizer and other speakers, who
said such a scheme Is impractical Ii was
cited that there would always be dissen-
sion at meetings. one craft could not un-
deIstand conditions or the other. and the
organization would be harassed by internal
disruption. The plan is 10 let each craft
maintain Its identity, but all are To be con-
salidated under the head OF the United
Brewery Workers Association.
Finally Chairman Feltnlan stopped the
discussion and said he would allow II to
20 no further. He said the United Brew
cry Workers Association had issued the
order that all employees OF breweries must
organize under the head of that organiza-
ton, tnat the American Federation OF
Labor had sanctioned the order and there
was no use TO discuss IL further. The
organizer said the word must was used
and that was sufficient.
The movement comes largely through the
agitation OF the union label system The
order has come from the headquarters of
the organization that all beer must bear
the union label. and IL cannot be provided
until every branch OF the trade Is or
ganized.
The drivers will meet at the same hall
125 South Delaware street, Thursday even
ing. TO complete their organization, and
another meeting viii be held with the en-
gineers and iremen next Sunday after
noon, when 10 II thought their organization
will be under way that charter can
be obtained.