The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-05-23
Managers of the Simmons Factory
State that the Factory will Shut
Down if Strike Continues.
SETTLEMENT FAILED TO HOLD.
Men Did Not Return to Work This Morning
Because the Managers Would Not
Sign The Scale of a Year.

pdny THIS AFTERNOON issued the follow
lowing open letter to its employees:
Kenosha, Wis, May 10, 1901.
To the Employees of the Simmons Mfg.
Co., Kenosha, Wis.
On Wednesday, the first day of May,
two employees of the foundry complain
ed of their wages to the foreman in
charge. He advised them that he had
just taken charge of the foundry and
had some changes in mind that would
facilitate their work. AT the same
time he told these men that just as
soon as he was familiar with the foun-
dry work, if he found there were beds
they could not make wages on he would
ad just the prices in satisfactory man
ner.
The following day they wanted to
know what had been done. He said
that he would take the matter up with
Mr.. Field, and as soon as he could get
at it would adjust such differences as
existed.
Friday morning the north end of the
foundry quit work. Friday noon the
rest of the foundry went out without
giving the company an opportunity to
adjust any grievance or adjust any
inequality in the wage scale.
On May 9th we wrote letter offer
ing arbitration and that the men re-
turn to work pending the settlement.
This was agreed to, the men agreeing
to go to work on Tuesday, the 9TH.
On the 9Th committee representing
the men sent an ultima tum demanding
that the scale be fixed by $50 O'Clock
May 18th.
AS the arbitrator had not agreed as
yet upon the fifth man, it was impossi-
bic in the time named to adjust scale.
On May 10th, after having suggested
the names of such men as Mr.. Peter
Fisher and Hon. Judge 'S1osson, of
Kenosha, and Hon. Judge Fish, of Ra-
cine, and these men not being accept
able to the committee appointed by the
foundry employees, we offered to accept
Mr.. Samuel Gompers, President of the
American Federation of Labor, as the
fifth member of the board. Objection
to Mr.. Gompers was, it would take SO
long to get him here. To this we an
swered by agreeing 10 pay from May
9TH whatever scale of wages Mr.. Sam
ue1 Gompers and the board found just,
making up to them whatever amount
it figured out to each man, and agreed
Furthermore to furnish bond to carry
out this agreement.
On May 18th the men failed to re-
turn to work as they had previously
agreed. On the 14th we proposed that
the whole case be submitted to the
Wisconsin State Board of Arbitration.
On the same day the committee repre-
senting the men dec1inedsthis offer,
whereupon we agreed to submit it to
the labor member of the board only.
This was also declined.
On the 18th we suggested that they
name six or eight reputable mer-
chants of Kenosha. The Board met
and the vote was taken and Mr.. Matt.
P. Schmitz was unanimously chosen
fifth member of the Board.
On the 10th Mr.. Schmitz reconsid-
cred his willingness to serve and de-
c1ined, and on that day we got togeth-
er and attempted to fix up matters
without Board of Arbitration. We
agreed upon scale after considerable
deliberation which was satisfactory to
the men, and under their agreement
they were to return to work on this
scale.
On the 18th a committee waited upon
us and demanded that this scale be
signed for not less than one year from
date.
AS the employees Of the Simmons
Mfg. Co. know that there are many
notifications and changes made in our
goods. We make us an annual cata-
1ogue, bringing this out the first of the
year. This will make it necessary to
modify and change the scale. We,
therefore, offered to continue the pres
ent scale to January 1st, 1902. When
the committee left we supposed that
this reasonable arrangement would be
acceptable to the men.
It is our aim to be just and reasona-
bic. How nearly we live up to this
claim is told by this plain history of
strike in our factory. We are paying
our foundry pourers and rackmen on
the old scale fully twenty-five per cent.
more than any other factory in the
United States engaged in the same
line of business. We make this state
ment to our employees because in very
short time, unless an agreement is ar
rived at, it wil1aabe necessary for us to
indefinitely close down our plant, and
we desire our employees to know that
we have made every effort possible to
arrive at satisfactory agreement.
Yours very truly,
SIMMONS MFG Co.,
BY z. G. SIMMONS.
In connection with the above it is
stated that the strike is not settled and
Al. a LN1-s5