The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-22
PLUMBERS READY TO WORK.
STRIKERS GAIN THEIR POINT
WITH SOME OF THE MASTERS.

WITH SOME OF THE MASTERS.
Builders Exchange Members Refuse
10 Consider Any Proposition for
Reduction of Working Hours.
Trades Unions Discuss the Situa-
lion in Mass MeetInG-WilI Offer "a
Compromise to Builders Exchange.
Boycott Threatened on Employers
of Non-Union Labor.
There was unusual activity yesterday
among the striking plumbers and the
other unions that are represented in the
building trades As a result of two meet
ings of the plumbers they have agreed
40 go to work this morning for such mas
ter plumbers as have signed the agree
ment for scale of wages from 81 to So
day. a working day to consist Of nine
hours, except on Saturday, when it shall
be eight hours. The men who have signed
this agreement include, it is said, prac>
tically all of the master plumbers, ex-
cept those members of the Builders Elk,
change.
At Labor Hall there were held meet
ings by the Building Trades Council, the
plumbers, painters and decorators, sheet
metal workers and a mass meeting of all
of the unions represented in the build
ing trade. At the close of this meeting
there was another joint meeting of the
plumbers and the Building Trades Coun>
ell. 1t was at this last meeting that the
decision to go to work this morning was
reached
When the Builders Exchange met the
members were notified that a committee
from the Building Trades Council was pre-
pared to meet them and make another
effort TO settle the matters over which
they were at variance. The committee
consisted of twelve members of the build
ing trades unions one o'clock was ap-
pointed for the meeting, whiIh took place
in the Builders Exchange. The committee
of the Builders Exchange was the same
that was originally appointed to confer
with the plumbers. Ii was four hours be-
fore the joint committees could agree on
the following scale of prices and hours:
That for all mechanics the pay should be
from $1.75 to 50 for days work OF nine
hours for each of the working days of
the week
AS the committee of the Builders Elk
change was without the power to act. the
proposition agreed on was referred back
TO the Builders Exchange as "a whole in a
meeting called for the purpose. After
some deliberation it was rejected.
At the mass meeting at night the unions
represented were the fathers. p,asterers,
brick layers, and plumbers. The carpen-
ters. painters and timers were represented
by two unions each.
The result of the conference of the COM
mittees' meeting was given out, and after
much discussion the following resolution
was adopted and will be sent to the COM
mittee of The Builders Exchange this
morning: Resolved, That we, the
building trades unions. i'm order to facli-
tate our differences with the Builders Ex-
change, are willing 20 allow the value of
pay to remain the same as it is a present,
from SITS TO SO per day, except that fathers
must receive $3.50 per 1000; that brick
masons' helpers and mixers must receive
$l.l0 and $1l5, respectively, per day, and
that from and on April 1 nine hours SHAY
constitute a days work, apprentices and
foremen excepted
The unions seem confident of their ulti-
mote success, and are leaving no stone
unturued to achieve it. II was said
among some Of the men that there were
in the Builders Exchange members who
had not yet taken out a license to do bus
mess, and that this matter would be
brought to the attention of the unions to
the end that they might take action. An
other step they will take to-day to ex-
press their strength and determination 10
win the fight will be to notify two Brough-
ton street merchants who are now employ
lug nCn-union labor that they must either
employ union labor or stop the work. with
the alternative of a boycott, should the
wishes of the unions not be acceded 60.
There was some discussion during the
day as to the advisability of the unions
or at least some of them, Joining in the
parade in honor of Washington, but no
decided action was taken and 1t is thought
that none will take port.
There viii be a meeting of the Timers
Union this morning at 10 O'clock, and OF
the Carpenters Union tonight at
O'clock.