The Indianapolis journal., 1902-01-28
OYERALLFACTORY STRIKE
1T is THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED BY
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
Members of the Garment Makers
Union Quit Work Other
Matters Considered.

Central Labor Union last night took up
the strike of the United Garment Workers
at the Louis Meier & Co.'s overall factory
on Central avenue, and, after a long dis
cussion, turned the matter over to the ex-
ecutive board to act with the garment
makers in trying to reach a settlement.
About $50 members of the Garment Work
ers' Union employed at the Louis Meier &
Co. s overall factory struck yesterday morn
ing because the company would not sign
the union scale and because five girls were
discharged The real contention is over the
use of the union label Last October Presi-
dent Larger, Of the national organization,
was in the city and recalled the labels that
had been purchased by the company be-
cause it would not sign the union scale.
Since then the company has refused to give
up the labels, and the union charges that
employees not members of the union have
been hired TO go TO the facory and sew
the labels on garments after night. The
five girls that were discharged and other
members of the union say the only reason
for their dismissal was that they expressed
their opinion concerning conditions at the
factory in recent meeting. Henry SEVERN,
president of the company, refused the re-
quest of a committee of the garment work
ers to reinstate the discharged girls. and
II,
was called. He refused to reinstate them
for President Feltman, and then the girls
were ordered to quit work. 1t is stated by
officers of the union that the company had
two policemen in the factory yesterday
morning who walked up and down the
aisles, but did not Interfere when the girls
walked out
REASON FOR NOT USING LABEL.
Mr.. Severin says the company decided to
give up the label last October because most
of their goods were sold to farmers and
persons not interested in the label. He
says there was no cut in wages and that
the price on several garments is above the
union scale.
When the matter was brought before the
central body John w Kerr, of the Typo
graphical Union, moved to leave the ad-
justment to the organizer of Central Labor
Union. II. S. Beissenherz moved to amend
by leaving 1t TO the grievance committee,
and Delegate Hockett moved to amend the
amendment by referring the matter to the
trustees of Central Labor Union and in
struct them to place 1t in the hands of
Daniel Wait Howe to bring into litigation,
if necessary, on the ground that the girls
had been discharged for belonging to a
union. This motion was discussed at
length. Many delegates favored placing the
matter in the hands OF the prosecuting at
torney through Mr.. Howe and at once have
an affidavit filed against the officers of the
company for discharging the girls. The
more conservative delegates spoke against
the measure and said it was the reinstate-
ment of the girls that were discharged, as
well as a settlement with the firm so that
the $50 strikers could return to work that
wanted rather than the prosecution of
the firm and the imposing Of a small fine
for violating the law. A doubt was also
expressed as to whether Central Labor
Union would win in such litigation, and if
il were carried through the higher courts
and the case lost it would be worse than if
no litigation had been begun
E. p. Barry offered a substitute which
provided that the matter should be left
to the executive board. and that the latter
be instructed to give the garment workers
unqualified support in bringing about a
settlement The substitute carried.
ROUTINE AFFAIRS.
The Carpenters Union was given the use
of the grievance committee to settle the
differences existing over the employment
of nonunion men on the new Claypool Hotel
and by Conrad Bender.
The BARRIERS Union reported that the
delegates to the United Mine Workers
convention had been misled by several bar
bers South Illinois street representing
to them that there is no BARRIERS union in
the city.
The Hardwood Finishers Union enlight-
ened the central body as TO the real cause
of the strike at the Lauter furniture fac
tory. where the members of the union are
out. 1t was stated that the company wanted
the men to sign an agreement TO work by
the whistle" and that when the men asked
the time of blowing the whistle they were
told that it did not make any difference to
them when ii was blown. The union con-
tends that the company is getting the
best of them by two or three hours a
week in working by the whistle.
James NJ. Madden, of the Plasterers'
Union, asked the central body 10 instruct
it's secretary TO write a letter to Thomas
Tagsart, at West Baden. and ask him to
employ union plasterers on the hotel he is
erecting there. He saId Taggart is en-
plOying members of a pretended" union of
this city. who have no standing with or
ganized labor and do not enforce the union
scale. He said an effort had been made TO
see Taggart, but he had "dodged them a
time or two. was down there part Of the
time and the other part of the time he
could not be found" One delegate called
out, Hes not candidate now" The re-
quest was granted.
N A Lonergan. a delegate to the miners
convention and officer of the Central
Labor Union OF Streator. ILL.,. addressed the
meeting.
The badges for members of Central La
Dor Union who are TO act as a reception
committee at the banquet to be given the
miners and operators tomorrow night were
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