The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-24
LABOR CONFLICT
THREATENS CITY
Contractors and Building
Trades at War.
NO NON-UNION MEN
CAN BE EMPLOYED
Eight Hundred Men Involved
and Tie-up Threatened.

A war between the AFFILIATED unions
of che Building Trades Council and the
building contractors of Salt Lake CITY
is one of the unfortunate things prom
ised for the early spring. This war if
it comes, viii be the result Of certain
demands made upon the contractors by
the Trades Council-demands that most
Of the contractors are not in a humor
to grant; and as the men are deter
mined TO enforce their demands, and
as some of the contractors are Just as
determined to resist, it is not easy to
see at this time how serious trouble
can be avoided.
At a recent meeting of the Building
Trades Council the following ultima tum
to the contractors was adopted:
I'VE, the Building Trades Council of
Salt Lake City. desire TO notify YOU
that on and after April 1, 1901, no union
workman viii work on any building or
works where nOn-uniOn w0rkmen are
or have been employed. Any contractor
or sub-cOntractOr employing nOn-uniOn
WOrkmen shall have a penalty of $50
imposed which must be paid before
any union man viii work on any build
ing or works on which said contractor
or sub-cOntraCtOr may be doing any
work"
This notice was signed by the amliat-
ed unions as follows. Brotherhood of
Carpenters, AmaIgamated Carpenters,
Brick Aasons. Stone MasOns. Stone
Cutters, Plumbers, Steam and Gas Fit
ters, Sheet Metal Workers. Lathers,
Plasterers, Electric Workers and Paint
ers- Tt was also signed by stephen
Tyne and II. D. Fairchild, president
and secretary Of the Building Trades
Council.
During the past week copy of this
notice has been sent to every con
tractor and architect in the city, TO the
number of 1913. A few We're missed, but
these viii receive notice in a day or
two, 50 that no man interested viii be
able to make the plea that be did not
know of the action of the Council.
Contractors Viii Fight.
It is needless to say that this ulti-
matum has created a sensation among
the contractors of the city, and some
Of them are now predicting q general
tie-uD of ali building operations In the
city in the spring. Ia fact, steps have
already been taken by some OF the
largest. contractors to Orga niZC to fight
this movement of the union men. A
meeting OF the contractors VIII be held
in a few days, and some action taken
to meet this action of the WOrIngmen-
city, in discussing this ematter last
evening, said
"Of course everybody knows just
what this action means-it means de-
mand for higher wages Just as soon
as these men get control of the build
ing work of the city, up viii go the
wages, and they viii not stop till con-
tractors are forced to quit work to
save themselves from bankruptcy. We
know how it worked in 1890. Men were
getting $3.50, and were doing We'll Ihen
they began making their demands un-
til wages went up to SIS and $500. Con
tractors were compelled to quit work,
and paralysis followed. The same thing
viii come now if this thing is pushed;
not only that, but many who are now
figuring on building will be scared out,
and men viii be going about in the
streets unable to get work. The con
tractors viii have to organize 10 fight
this thing. The demands of these unions
are arbitrary and unreasonable, and
will not be submitted TO. Ny opinion
is that the Council viii reconsider this
thing and rescind its action when IL
sees what it Is liable to lead TO- some
of these unions are made up of half
dozen men. and the great body Of
wOrkingmen will not submit to be die
tated to by the few who attend the
meetings of the Council
Views of Others.
The gentleman quoted above would
not permit the use of his name, and
was in hopes that this difficulty could
be settled up without getting into the
papers, as he feared that publicity
would have a tendency TO retard Dulid-
ing in the coming season At the same
time he was very positive in the express
sion of his views and had evidently
made up his mind to fght. Practically
the same views were held by num-
Der of other contractors interviewed on
the subject, but none OF them cared 10
have their names used, Tor fear or
getting into personal trouble with their
men. One of the contractors said that
he knew OF three large jobs that went
by the board last year because phe men
who proposed to build thought the unions
were making unreasonable demands IN
regard to wages. This man SAID ne nad
advised all contractors to stand out
against the demands Of the men as set
forth in the notice just issued He was
working, he said, in favor Of q meeting
of all the leading contractors OF the
CITY. at which some concerted action
could be taken to offset the demands
of the men. He was Of the opinion
that the meeting would be heId IN a
few days, and then a formal reply
would be sent to the Trades Council.
Discussed by Labor Leaders.
On the other hand, the WOrKlnS1neA
hold to the opinion that there is moth
ing unreasonable in the action they
have taken. and they argue that II lhelr
ideas are adhered to il viii be better
for the contractor, as the little sub
contractor. who IS held to be NUS
ance. will be shut out; it viii be better
for the men, as it viii give them uni
form wages; it viii be better for the
owner of the building, as 1t viii shut
ont the poor work that piece men are
often forced to do in order TO make
living WAGES. Mr.. Britain, the presl-
dent of the Federation, and Ny Tyne,
the president of the Building Trades
Council. and other prominent union Ia
Dor workers discussed the matter freely
last evening. There would be no re-
treat from the position taken, they said,
and they felt that when people under
stood the situation their position would
be generally endorsed
The point they wished to make plain
was that after April union men and
non-union men could not work on the
same contracts; that if after that date
anv contractor gave employment t.
non-union men on any branch Of the
work. he must have all the work on
7~na nv non union IA IanFs