The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-20
UNION PLUMBERS QUIT WORK.
BUILDERS WILL LAY OFF ALL
UNION LABOR TODAY.

The Lines Drawn Between the Build
ers' Exchange and the Building
Trades UniOns-Iathers Put In
Their Demand With the Rest.
Plumbers Union and Trades Coun-
ell Held Meetings, But No Action
Taken Except TO Call a General
Meeting for Tomorrow Night.
Trades and Labor Assembly to Is
sue an Address.
The strike of all members of the Plumb
ers Union went into effect yesterday as
was stated in the Morning News 1t would.
In one or two cases the master plumbers
were notified by the men that they would
be unable to work, as they had been or
dered out by the union, but in the ma
jority of cases the journeymen simply
stayed away from the shops and let the
masters infer from their absence the state
of affairs.
The union held meeting at 10 o'clock
at Labor Han that lasted nearly four
hours The members refused to discuss
it, however.
The Builders Exchange met at its quar-
tiers over the Merchants Bank and de-
eided on several decisive steps. though
they were not made public. One matter,
however, was the passing Of the follow
ing resolution: Resolved, That the MEM
bers of the Builders Exchange lay off all
union men in their employ. beginning az
o'clock this afternoon for the space of
four days in order to give the committee
of the union time to report on the propo-
sition made them at the joint meeting OF
the two committees Saturday night.
This proposition was for a scale of
wages from $l.75 to 50 a day for all me-
chanics, and a ten-hour day for each day
of the week except Saturday, when nine
hours would constitute a day.
If at the expiration of four days these
terms have been accepted by the unions,
work will be resumed. If not, the work
as far as possible will be carried on by
non union labor which the contractors
anticipate no difficulty in securing.
In consequence of the resolution MEM
bers of the Exchange notified their union
men at o'clock that there would be no
work for them to-day. 1t is said that
many non-union laborers have already APP
piled for the places made vacant, and that
the embarrassment to the contractors, AZ
at ALL will be only temporary.
AT Labor Hall last night things assumed
a business-like aspect, and there were
three meetings being held a one time in
different parts of the building.
The Building Trades Council get togeth-
err as early as o'clock, but its meeting
lasted only a short time 1t was expected
when first called that this meeting would
pass on the question of the Builders Elk
change proposition, but it seems that as
the proposition has not been presented to
the individual unions considerable oppo-
sition developed to its being decided by
the delegates of the council before they
had been informed of the views of their
unions. Owing to this opposition the
question did not come up, but it was de-
cided to call a joint meeting of all of the
unions tomorrow night when the dele
gates will be advised of the views of the
unions and will be prepared to act ac-
cording to these instructions when the
council shall meet again
The Plumbers Union also had lengthy
meeting but it's action was also secret.
In fact, the members not only refuse TO
discuss the happenings of the meetings,
but refuse to give names of either officers
or men belonging to the union. 1t was
learned, however, that at the morning meet
ing was discussed the ACCESSIBILITY of re-
turning to work for the combination shops
and such other concerns as had accept
ed the terms offered the members of the
Builders Exchange. There are many
whom it is said favor this step, and the
matter was discussed a length. Whether
any decision in the matter was reached
at the nights meeting will probably be
known to-day.
There was also a lengthy meeting of the
Trades and Labor Assembly, at which
President M f. Corey presided.
The meeting passed resolutions condemn
ing the action of the Building Exchange
in declaring a lock out, and also decided
to prepare an address to the people of Sa-
vannah stating the demands of the union
men and showing their side of the con-
troversy.
The latest of the unions to send an It'll
matum to the Builders Exchange is the
Lathers' who demand an increase of %
cents per thousand for mailing laths and
have notified the contractors that unless
it is granted they will strike on March 8.
These men now get $1.25 per thousand,
which is an increase of % cents over the
rate paid lest year.
There will be a meeting of the Carpen-
ters' Union tonight, and mass meeting
of all unions in the building trade to-mor-
row night.