The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-04
STRIKERS ADD TO THEIR RANKS.
Union Men ON Armitage Contract
Went Out Yesterday.

Went Out Yesterday.
The number of building trades strikers
was further augmented yesterday at noon
when all OF the union men at work on the
Armitage buildings, said by Mr.. J. NJ. Will
bon TO De forty-two, were ordered out by
the Building Trades Council
1t is claimed by the officers Of the unions
that this action was taken because Mr.. Ar
mitage had violated his contract with the
men. but in what particular they would
not say.
When the lockout was declared in the
earlier part of the spring, owing to the
pressure brought TO bear on Mr. Armi-
tage by the owners of the work on which
he was then engaged, he was allowed by
the Builders Exchange TO make such
terms with his workmen as he saw fit,
either as to wages or hours, or both. An
agreement was reached by which the men
were granted certain of their demands,
and 1t was stated at the time that in lieu
OF this concession the men were to con-.
tinue to work for this contractor until
that particular job was finished, even
though 1t lasted until after May Lat which
time their demands went into effect with
the other contractors. 1t was stated about
the streets yesterday that the workmen
c-aimedl the contract made at the time
was invalid because II did not have at
tached all of the official seals, butSthis
statement Mr.. Wilbon denied emphatical-
ly, though he would not state the real rea-
son of the trouble.
Yesterday the Savannah Building Sup
ply Company received, under date of May
2, the following communication:
'fAt a iOfrf Of he Ri -lat
International Unions No. l and we pass
ed resolutions that if you do not stop
working non-union men on all of your
contracts, We the bricklayers will refuse
TO go on any job where your material is
used and furthermore will do all in our
power against the sale of your material
Hoping that you viii look into this mat
ter and employ union men, when 1t will
give us pleasure to advocate the sale of
your material whenever possible. The let
ter was signed by Charles Coles, pres-
dsnt; w. Fl. Davis, sec. etary; G. H. Nun
z r. president; j. II. Gould, secretary.
Referring to this letter, Secretary Turner
OF the company said that the peculiar feat
ure of the boycott is that the company he
represents has not employed other than
union painters since the organization of
the Painters Union in Savannah, and that
the bricklayers, in thus going out on a
sympathetic strike with the painters a.e
acting on Instrumentation a fact thy
would discover should they investigate the
matter.
The painters, he said, quit work on
May / because he had refused to sign a
contract for the scale that they desired
that would embrace work on all the build
ings. that the company might paint during
the ensuing year.
Speaking of this boycott, Mr.. Wn5on
said that while ii represented the views
of the bricklayers and might be binding
on them, ii bad not yet been presented 10
the Building Trades Council for it's ratif-
cation, and until that was done the brick
layers were the only ones who were af-
fected by it. The Council has the power
either 10 ratify or veto it, but Mr.. Wilbon
would not anticipate its probable action
Mr.. Wilbcn, in reviewing the situation
yesterday, said that everything was pro
crossing most satisfactorily. AT the meet
ing of the carpenters yesterday he said,
twenty-five non-un4on men had applied
for membership and had been initiated.
That the sentiment of all workingmen
was with the unions, he said, is quite
plain; yesterday a number of workmen
voluntarily left the work on which they
had been employed as soon as the matter
at issue had been plainly shown to them.
Two carpenters came into the city, hut
as soon as they found out the condition
of affairs, being gentlemen, they contin-
ued on their way"
street." he continued, "a prominent firm
of his city has brought from Jesup aud
put TO work five carpenters To this firm
we will pay our proper respect at an
early date"
He also sad that contractor called
at his Office yesterday and signed the
terms demanded by the unions.
Mr.. Wilbcn further said that as bust
ness agent, he advises nnodera ton. sobr-
ETY., fairness, and business by both che
unions and the public and upon the I'M
ions that nothing unclean, or unfair be
done TO win the fight, but that they rely
solely upon the honesty of the members
of the Building Trades Council and the
business of their cause to settle the mat
ter satisfactorily, and OF an early date.
Meetings by the diTe ,ent uaions are
he daily and nightly at Labor Hail. On
Monday night another mass meeting will
DC he'd to which will be invited not only
the members of the unions but all those
persons who are in sympathy with the
working men, The Building Trades Coun-
Gil has as yet heard nothing from its res
olution sent the Mayor and City Council
a day or two ago.
Tie Builders Exchange meets daily. The
fight, its members say, inconvsni ances
them bat lite, and for their interests
could not have come at a better time