Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-10
PLUMBERS STRIKE
No Indications of an Early
Termination.
MASTERS STATEMENT
THE J0URNEYMEN'S DEMAND
WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Features of Their Contention Regarded
as Absurd-Views Of
the Strikers.

plumbers and the employers appear to be
somewhat intensified today. Both sides are
| apparently becoming more determined to
stand by their respective decisions, and
/ the prospect of an early settlement of the
strike is not promising. The journeymen
have appointed committee to give out
information regarding their side of the
| question. but they are reluctant about
| making any statements other than that
the men are standing firm and give no
sign of weakening.
They say they will prolong the strike in
| definitely unless their demands are acceded
The Association Of Master Plumbers
made the following statement today with
reference to the issues involved:
The local union has taken into its mem
bership in the last year large number
of new members. and the majority Of these,
together with the dissatisfied and incom-
petent man, have got control and are fore
| ing this issue on the reasonable and COM
petent men, who are in the minority. As
| a matter of fact, nearly 40 per cent of the
| members present at the meeting when this
strike proposition was proposed voted
| against it.
Union No. 5, of the United Association of
Journeymen Plumbers and Gas Filters, is
the third president the association has had
| since the subject Of the present strike has
plumbers. He starts in with a very UNI
| pleasant condition of affairs confronting
him, but it is believed the better element
! in the association will assert itself and the
unreasonable position in which the action
of small majority has placed large
| minority will appeal to their reason and in
telligence.
What the Rules Require.
THE rules and regulations of the journey
mems union contain some exactions and
| conditions which the masters have sub
mitted to in the past, and it was the last
| unreasonable demand-the abolition of all
helpers-which caused the masters to take
the stand they have in this matter for their
self-protection, as well as resisting an i'm
possible condition of affairs to the commu
nifty at large.
1.-The conditions referred to are:
"Workmen who are employed on work
outside of the District line must not leave
the District before 1880 o'clock and must
be back in the District at o'clock.
''Workmen riding bicycle between the
hours of 1880 am. and pm. are subject
to a fine of from $3.50 to $25 for each Of
Tense. Workmen must not be at their en-
ployer's shop before 7:30 am. or after
pm. Workmen must be paid for a whole,
half or three-quarters day for any portion
of days work, not per hour for actuoi
time employed.
Challenge Issued.
The above statements, no doubt, will
be denied, but we would ask the union to
submit a copy Of its new constitution.
bylaws and working rules, for public in
sr ection. If the above statement of some
of its regulations is not substantially
correct. 5-... r.,.....
THE claim that they do not intend to
discriminate against the boys Is fatuous
and bears on it's face the stamp of insin-
certify. This same tight was made against
helpers by the New York plumbers in 1885,
and was known as The Battle for the
Boys. The master plumbers resisted the
attempt of the journeymen to force the
abolition of helpers. and as a result of their
united and determined action the Journey
mems Union was defeated and nearly en-
tirely disrupted. The Journeymen had
then, as they have now, public opinion
against them, and repetition OF
the same result in this city is not at all an
unlikely solution of the difficulty.
Regarded as Ridiculous.
Regarding the statement Of the executive
committee of the strikers denying that the
abolition of helpers Will not increase the
cost of work and that several first-class
shops had employed no helpers in recent
years. the statement is on it's face ridieu-
lous. But one large shop In Washington
has been operated without helpers and
the large majority of all the work, both in
jobbing and new construction. required
two men. it is pure matter Of mathemat-
les to figure the difference in cost of
plumber and helper and two plumbers.
LAS a matter of fact, the supply of
plumbers last year from spring until the
end Of the fall season was not equal to the
demand. The majority Of the journeymen
plumbers have employment for greater
period during the year than any other class
Of mechanics. and it is the inefficient, in
competent and unreliable workmen who are
| striving to force their employment by dis
charging the helpers on the employers, who
do not desire their services.
Unwelcome Competition.
"The journeymen's union loses sight CT
the fact, if they turn out the plumbers
helpers, who, they claim. hire to real es-
! tate firms and others at wages far below
the standard rate OF the efficient Journey
man plumber, that their occupation Is gone
and the scab shop and scab Journeyman
whom he forces on the market is his COM
petitor.
Despite the denial Of the journeymen 1t
| is a matter Of fact that the Master Plumb
| ers Association has been the means of
bringing into the classification OF union
shops number Of establishments operated
| by their members.
There is a rule of the journeymen's
! union which prohibits the use of tools by
| helpers in any union shop, and this rule
| has been enforced by the shop stewards
| who represent the union in all the shops
THROUGHOUT the CITY tueTeIoTS any helpers
| who have been working in union shops
| taking the place of journeymen have been
| doing so through the act of the represen-
| tatives Of the union itself.
There are but la plumbers registered
| to do work In the city, according to the Of
| fetal directory of recognized master plumb
| ers. and granted that they all in busi-
ness and running shops, which they are
| not. and counting two apprentices to- each
| shop 1t could only amount to 24S appren-
tees. instead Of over 800. as claimed.
The Estimated Number.
IA safe estimate of the number of ap-
| prentices is about It's to 200. but as a mat
/ ter of fact it is not at all necessary for
the journeymen to draw on their imagina-
| ton for a fictitious plumber as they. and
not the masters, have in their possession
record Of each and every apprentice in the
city and are the only persons In a position
| to know the exact number. Two appren-
| tees only are allowed to each shop. and
an establishment working only one plum
| Der has the same number Of apprentices
as the shop which works twenty men.
1.-The above condition OF affairs Is self
| explanatory. The shop with two appren-