The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-29
CONKEY PLANT STRIKE
A UNIQUE PLAN TO HAVE GIRL EN-
pLoYEs aUIT WORK.
Their ~sweethearts Refuse to Rec"g-
nize Tbem-New Phases OF
the Injunction Order.

The strike of the Conkey plant at Ham
mond and the injunction issued by Judge
Baker continue to attract attention
There Is a new force at work among the
employees against which injunctions are
harmless. IL Is thought. and il is likely TO
prove as effective as it is unique The
striking girls in the bindery department
are proving themselves good pickets, and
are appealing to the sweethearts of the
girls who refused to quit, to help them out
OF the difficulty.
MY sister Theresa is working in there
now" said pretty Molly Fischer. "but you
can bet she will not be there tomorrow"
IF you persuade her to quit you will be
guilty of contempt OF court, will you not?'
the girl was asked.
II don't care anything about the court
was the reply. ''But her fellow. Jerry FL
bridge, will go back on her unless she
quits. 1 have seen him, and he said he
would not go with a scab, and you bet
that will fetch her out"
As she was explaining her plan OF cam
paign Oscar Holke, one of the striking
pressmen, came along, and was immedi-
ately surrounded by a crowd OF girls.
Say. Oscar, what are you going to do
about Isabella? she is still at work there"
came a chorus of voices. You must re-
A0CC " span " ~
soon be with US. She couldn't stand for
that" He promised TO give the matter ms
attention, and the girls went on TO anoth-
er man to continue their work.
STRIKING FORCE INCREASES.
About 10 of the girls refused to go to
work Tuesday morning, and their forces
were increased by twenty-five more at
noon. In the morning the girls formed IN
parade order and marched down the street
leading from the Conkey plant. They met
w 3. Conkey on the street, and one or
them suggested that they give him their
union yell, which they have introduced
since the strike. From a hundred reml-
nine throats came the shout:
That's no lie, that's no Dull
The Conkey girls are just the stun.
Although the girls are not named in the
writ issued by Judge Baker. they will be
considered guilty of contempt, according
Interfere with the operation of the
plant. They do not seem 10 be worrying
over the situation; however. ana when the
o o'clock Tuesday night, more than fifty
girls surrounded the works to watch the
other girls depart. a count was kept on
the girls who refused to quit as they left
the gates. and the number was found 10
be nfty-three. The strikers said that more
than half that force would refuse to re-
turn to work in the morning. AS the girls
left the works they had TO run the gauntlet
The plant is practically tied ND. as there
are now about 325 of the employees out, and
the lnSUrrSCtlOn Is spreading. Inc plCkelS
say that the firm has secured but eight
pressmen and helpers since the strike was
declared a week ago, and as eighty quit in
that department they believe they have the
situation well in hand.
SAY THEY WILL NOT YIELD.
When the employees were paid off Tues
day the girl strikers were required TO give
their names and addresses in the office.
This. they said, was in order that Mr..
Conkey could call on their parents and
try to have them forced back TO work, but
they declared they were out to stay until
the right to organize was conceded them.
The first worker to organize were the
pressmen. and the day following all their
officers were discharged. on the company's
refusal TO reinstate them the others struck.
and when the Injunction was procured. the
other employees began to organize The
bookbinders formed a union last Sunday.
and Monday the officers were discharged.
although Mr.. Conkey. says that his plant
Is an open one, and he does not care
whether his employees join a union or not.
The statement of Attorney Newman for
the Conkey Company, that the employees
meeting OF their union Monday night and
talking over a strike, Is regarded as "A new
phase of the Injunction by labor men. The
attorney claims that such a meeting was
an assembly TO in1ure the company's bust
ness. and. therefore, a violation of the i'm
lit would be Just as reasonable for us TO
ask for an injunction restraining the mem
ptfS OF N w ID. tOnkey HFmI from meet
ing to lay plans TO defeat us. We will pay
no attention TO that part of the order at
ALL"
AS Mr.. Conkey left the works, about s
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, he passed a
crowd OF the striking girls at the corner
of the street. and was hoOted as he boarded
q street car. In a speech to the girls be-
fore they quit he told them that he took
them all as green girls. and that 50 cents
a day was fair wages for one who had no
experience, but that he was just about To
give them an increase when they decided
TO strike One girl. who appeared to he
twenty years of age, opened her pay en-
velope as she reached the street, and re-
marked that she had received 3 cents toe
much. as there was $3.50 In the envelope
for four and "A half days work. She said
she was being paid 90 cents a day. but had
had only a few weeks experience.