Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-01
Force Granite Manufacturers to
Accept Their Rate For
Hiring Help.
A SHUT DOWN THREATENED
the Latter Yielded-1rouble Arose
Over the Employment Of One
Apprentice - Happenings
About Vermont.

Earre, July 31.-At a late hour tonight
the Granite Manufacturers association
voted to recede from their position and
to accept the Interpretation OF the DIS
putcd clause made by eX-Mayor Brown of
Rutland. 1t was also agreed to discharge
the apprentice over whom the dispute had
arisen.
The outcome is a complete victory for
the men. This averts the danger of the
''shut out of 2000 men threatened by the
manufacturers this morning when they
sent an ultimatum to the men. In it they
made these terms
If the cutters and sharpcnors'
union aid not send the men back to work
at Mutch * Calders pending an attempt
settlement they would lind the sheds
locked up tomorrow morning.
Fully 800 members of the cutters and
sharpeners' union met at the opera house
this evening and after a few minutes dis
cussion voted to back UP the demand oil
the union committee that the apprentice
at Mutch q Calders $ who brought on the
trouble be discharged and in the meantime
the employees at that plant are to remain
idle. This in effect, was defying the uli-
matum OF the manufacturers.
The manufacturers at once met and
though still in session at a late hour decid-
ed to rccede from their position.
The difficulty which brought on the cri-
OF the bill OF prices agreed on the first OF
March, 1900. to hold for three years. The
clause reads as follows:
ANY firm that Is now employing by the
day and has so employed for at least
seven months during the twelve months
next preceding the adoption of the article
two journoymen tool sharpeners shall b.
entitled to one apprentice tool sharpencr
and shall also be entitled to one additional
apprentice sharpener for each additional
tourne; man sharpener whose term Of en-
ployment complies with the above require
monts.'
Mutch Il Calder had an apprentice
sharpener finish his time and they hired
him as a journcyman and engaged anoth-
er apprentice. The union contended that
they had no right to do so under tho
agreement until they had employed two
sharpeners a full seven months and Tues
day morning called out all the 60 employees
OF Mutch & Calder.
The Manufacturers association at once
notified the union that this action violat-
ed the clause of the settlement agreement
that no mon shall be called out or locked
out until the case in hand has first been
considered by the joint grievance com
mittee of the two organizations, which
had not been done in this case.
The manufacturers therefore on Tues
day evening voted not to arbitrate the ap-
prentice clause until the union sent Mutch
& Caldcr'S men back to work and there
the matter was left until the meeting OF
the two organizations this evening.
The clause in the agreement over which
the difficulty is raised was drawn by eX-
Mayor Thomas III. Brown of Rutland as
the result Of an arbitration year aSo
last February and the union claims 1t
cannot arbitrate a question already set
tied and that they merely demand the
carrying out Of the agreement on the part
OF the firm.