The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-04-20
TN LABOR

CONTINUED from First Page


with the boilding trades. gs.x Il. So. Il
sssS - . r. J. CHENEY, Secretary
In answer to the above the Carpen-
tiers Union sent the following on March,
8, 1901: ~. = NJ. =s 2
i "'R. J.. Cheney, Secretary. Master:
Builders Association: Your communi-t
cation from the Master Builders Asso-I
citation received, and in answer am
instructed to state that the Carpenters
Union is willing to confer with your
association through committee II such
lis your desire as to the differences In
the rules Of the Carpenters Union and
those submitted by your association
.S&r JOHN FRANZEN, Secretary
1T will readily be seen that the Car
penters'x union hass been ready to treat
with the contractors from the beginning
of, this controversy, =. -
1.-The questions between the Carpen-
ters' Union and the contractors are,
first, the question of the master build
ers hiring non-union foremen; second,
the question of allowing contractors
(a) apprentice to each shop, and CO., ad-
ditional to every 10 mechanics employ
ed; third, the question of excluding the
business agent from all jobs during
working hours, and fourth, the master
builders insists that our agreement
shall expire January l, 1902. 49,: II
The Carpenters Union already al
lows one apprentice for each shop and
one additional for every rs carpenters
employed. More would be detriment
to the trade and should our agreement
with the contractors expire January !,
in the dead Of winter, it can be seen
In what helpless condition it would
leave us, we would simply have to be
satisfied with what wages they would
offer us, as there is no demand for car
penters at that time of the year" ~
To the above communication the con-
tractors paid no attention, as will be
seen as my story goes along. Begin
ming Friday, April II, and the following
day, the master builders notified the
carpenters in their employ that if they
would not agree to their rules and put
up scab mill work their services would
no longer be needed after Saturday
night, April Is. -
The carpenters, whom I believe are
made up of as staunch union material
as God ever put life into, rebelled2
against such dictation and at special
meeting of the carpenters on Friday.
night, April IL, it was decided to stand
by their original demands and uphold
the principles of unionism and also car
~ out the same agreement which they
have had with the woodworkers for the
past year. Within five hours after the
lockout occurred three of the largest jobs
going on in the city of Minneapolis was
taken out Of the contractors hands and
the owner signed his name to an agree
ment whereby he would employ all un-
ion men and use union material. That
| reduced the number of men locked out
from two hundred down to about one
hundren and fifty, and today there is
only about half of the men locked out
who have not secured work, and it is
expected that all of these will be work.
ing within few days. Prominent bust;
| ness men Of the city have informed me:
| that the lockout was unjust and they
are in sympathy with the men, and t.
the matter is not settled in short time
look for them to- take a hand in the
affair, AS they. are not by any means
EsRning to stand by and see the. SELF
fstyledS trust Of the master builders place
obstacles In the way of what promises
| to be the best year in the building line
| that Minneapolis has experienced for a
good many years. ~. =. WI
1t is thought here by many that the
| fight is against the contractors millmen
and the worst of all the lumbermens
| association, who have undoubtedly
formed combination to break up the
Building Trades Council, and have
started their fight on the carpenters
and woodworkers. -
| If the trouble is not settled within
few days every trade working on these
| jobs where carpenters were locked out
| will be called off, as they feel that their
interests are at stake. The Building
! Trades Council, is composed of about
1000 men,. of this number there is 1000
carpenters and 600 woodworkers. There
everyone will draw the last: cent from
their treasures in order to gain a
victory. The carpenters at the pre-:
sent time have a committee of confer:
/ enee to meet the master builders and.
| though one meeting has been held and
| no settlement arrived at, It is believed
| that. if both sides will be fair a settleaa
ment can be reached: 1t has been GUS.
tomary to-, forward a>Ietter. to the: CON
tractors by the Building Trades every
year and this year the following: :one,
! was sent out, which undoubtedly START:
! ed the trouble: -. :.
To Whom'it May, Concern: We the
| undersigned wish to respectfully inform.
you that all the trades affiliated with
the Building Trades. Council of Mime
apoEis will refuse to set up or place. in
position any mill work, bars or barr
fixtures or furniture that does not bear;
Fthe label of the 'AInalgamated !, Wood.
Eworkers international: Onion of. Ameri-:
ca. Said trades will: refuse to work. on
any building in c6pfseisof construction:
or repair unless aforesaid millwork
bears the woodworkers' label, a fac
smile of.which>is herewith presented. =
The present: agreements will expire
May l, 1901, and inorder.to guard your
self against any trouble, we respectfully
advise you to ascertain if the firm you
! contemplate letting a contract to is go
| ir,rr no ic