Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-16
CARPENTERS ARE OUT
Two Hundred Union Men in Rock
Island and Davenport Lay
Down Tools.
THEIR DEMANDS ARE REFUSED.

Present New Scale AsktoE So-Cent Hour
Minimum Wage and Hour working Day
| Declare They Are Locke ed Out-Presi-
dent OF Contractors' Association Says
| Operations Are Not Iuterfered With.
Contractors refusing to adopt the
scale presented by the carpenters
unions, the union carpenters of Rock
Island and Davenport laid down their
tools today. The men claim they did
net strike, but were locked out by
their employers. They had hoped up
till the last moment that settlement
would be effected. The scale was to
have gone into effect today. A num-
| Der of the men, at the conclusion of
| work Saturday, were told by their
EN- ployers that they need pot return
Monday. Others who did not receive
such orders reported for work at 8
o'clock this morning, an hour later
than usual, intent on enforcing the
provisions of the new scale, but were
Informed they could not be continued
as employees under the proposed
| change of conditions.
| Union carpenters of Rock Island and
Davenport held mass meeting in the
latter city yesterday to discuss the
situation. The Rock Island men met
again at 10 o'clock this morning at
| the Industrial home to hear the re-
ports of the various committees that
had been delegated to visit the con-
tractors in a final effort to induce
them to sign the new scale. All re-
ceived negative answers. At the con-
clusion of the meeting the press COM,
l ho Gf al a
ment fer publication:
| Statement of Men.
| Two hundred and fifty carpenters
in Rock Island and Davenport are
now locked out on account of asking
an S-hour day instead of nine and
a 25-cent minimum wage per hour.
The carpenter unions gave notice of
| the above demands before Jan l last,
and if any charges are made that
the unions are creating a stagnation
in building trades, it can be clearly
seen that such charges are I'M
true, and can be laid at the door of the
Contracting Carpenters association
only. Furthermore. we state that
the carpenters are ready and willing
to 70 to work at any moment that any
contractor will accede to these de-
mands. q. KLOTz,
49, j. j. FORD,
| ii BUTLER,
Committee.
Rock Island and Davenport carpen-
tiers are demanding the same conces-
sions from their employers. OF the
200 men who are out, it is estimated
about half are from this city.
The scale presented, aside from de-
manding increased wages and reduced
working hours, provided that in cases
of disputes between employers and
employees, where settlement could not
be arrived at either between the men
and the contractor or the contractor
and the union, the matter be left will
the Tri-City Building Trades council
for decision.
In Moline the union carpenters are
working nine hours per day, but the
union carpenters of the other two
cities are of the opinion Moline con-
tractors will be soon asked TO sub.
nit to the S-hour day.
Says Work VIII Go ON.
Frank Collins, president of the
Rock Island Building Contractors
association, stated today the lockout
of the union carpenters would in no.
wise affect building operations; that
if contractors could not get union
men to work for them they would
employ non-union men. He said all
work would be carried on Just as if
there was no trouble between en-
ployers and workmen. Mr.. Collins
says the demands of the carpenters
would not be accepted because they
were unreasonable.