The age-herald., 1902-05-01
Builders Met Last Night But Still Refused to
 Give In CARPENTERS EQUALLY
 FIRM IN DEMANDS Probably Seven Hundred Mechanics Will Lay Down Their Tools-Do Not Look for Long
 Struggle.

The twenty-two or twenty-three firms of building contractors employing union carpenters will shut down today. They remain firm in declining to accede to the demands of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners for an eight-hour day at 35c minimum per hour, and the brotherhood Is equally firm in declining to withdraw or amend its demands. The old scale of 30 cents per hour for nine hour day expired yesterday evening, as the carpenters are not allowed to change their demands without a referendum vote of the various locals, which takes time, so there Is nothing to do but quit.
 The brotherhood has made no over lures to the contractors for a conference. and the contractors have not sought a conference with the official representative of the carpenters. Steps fof joint con- ference may be taken later.
 The Master Builders Association held meeting at Turn Verein Hall last night. The attendance was large, nearly every contracting firm in the city and several In Ensley and Bessemer being represented. President Allen J. Krebs was in the chair.
 While good deal of routine business was transacted the greater part of the time was taken up with the question of the carpenters demands. The speeches were said to have been temperate but firm The policy of the association adopt ed at a previous meeting was restated and re-affirmed namely, to shut down if the carpenters refused to agree to a graded scale; or to express it in the terms adopted at a meeting Friday night when the builders met and perfected their organization:
 Be 1t resolved, That we, the Master Builders of Birmingham, concede the de- mands of the carpenters for an increase of wages to 35 cents maximum per hour but on a graded scale, and that nine hours shall constitute a days work; the contractors to have the option of em- ploying a union or non-union foreman.
 ''In lieu of the foregoing, if not accept ed, be it
 Resolved, That we, the Master Build CTS of Birmingham, agree that eight hours shall constitute a days work for carpenters working on buildings, the present scale of wages to remain in effect, and that contractors have the option of employing a union or non-union fore- man."
 At 7 This Morning.
 At last nights meeting 1t was decided that contractors or their representatives should be at the various places where their work is being done at ' o'clock this morning and say to the carpenters who report for duty that they will not em- ploy them on the terms of the brother hood demands. The men will refuse to work on any other terms, and then the strike will be on.
 After the adjournment of the Master Builders meeting a member of the exec utive board said:
 There is nothing new to give out. The situation is just as it has been and just as The Age-Herald published this morn ing. The association is absolutely united in the position it has taken. It wants to deal fairly with employees and at the same time in a business-like way.
 "The carpenters up to this time have insisted on the 35c minimum. The builders would not have held out for the nine- hour day perhaps if they could employ their carpenters on a graded scale. As 1t Is, they must shut down. If the matter is taken up for consideration with a view of compromising our differences 1t must come through the executive board. This board is authorized to act Its conclusion to be subject, of course, to the approval of the association. There are thirty three contracting firms in the association and I have never known men to be more thoroughly in harmony.
 "The association has a great many questions to deal with other than wage scales, hence it Is that it has several members who do not work union men, As to how long the strike will last I can not say, but think not over two or three weeks"
 Among the contractors working non union men are two or three of the most prominent in the city. MT. Cullom, who is now building fifteen or sixteen houses in Cullom place, does not give his work by contract but engages his own men di- rect He is said to employ non-union car penters The number of carpenters who will be thrown out today is variously es- timated at between 300 and 1000. Conserva- tive estimates place the number at about 700.
 The Painters.
 It is said that the painters will also be shut out tomorrow. They have been get ting 271z cents an hour and their demand from May is for S5 cents and an eight hour day. They are employed by master painters. who are sub-contractors. It was remarked at the master builders meet ing that the employing painters were as firm in declining to agree to the scale as the members of the builders association
 There can be no hitch this month with the bricklayers as their year does not
 JERSEY MILK COWS At auction today at 4 n. m.