The Jersey City news., 1902-12-12
TO PROTECT
HOME LABOR
Central Union Wants Law
Requiring Local Work
men on Public
Work.
AUTHORITIES POWERLEsS
Present Statute Prevents
Them From Remsdying
the Crying Evil.
AUTHORITIES POWERLESS


ing in Jensen's Hall, Hoboken, last night
unanimously endorsed the petition of the
United Building Trades Council for the
enactment Of state law to prevent the
employment of mechanics from other
States in local public work.
The building trades claim that during
the past season, Jersey City, through its
proper municipal officers, erected several
schools, upon which local mechanics were
denied employment, not because they
were not union men," simply because
they We're not members of a New York
union and employed by New York firms.
The local men were steamfitters and tim
smiths, and the matter was brought to
the attention of the United Building
Trades Council of Hudson City by them
as affiliated organization Of that body
as We're all other crafts on said build
ings, except the Nv York Stamfitters and
Tinsmiths as aforesaid.
CITY POWERLESS..
The representatives of the various
trades of this council waited upon the
Mayor Of Jersey City and the directors
of Education, to correct this unseemly
condition, and these gentlemen, while
admitting the local mechanics had
just grievance, stated they We're power
less to interfere in the matter, as the
existing State law was pre-emptory, and
compelled them to award such work to
the lowest bidder filing bonds for the
completion of the work, and that if they
legally could have preference all muni-
cipal work should be started and COM
pleted by local architects, builders and
artisans, and referred us to the Senate
and Assembly to provide laws to cover
the points at issue.
After further explaining the necessity
for new law the members of the United
Trades Council says that it never has. and
does not desire to discriminate against
either business men or mechanics of other
states, but strenuously objects to either
firms or mechanics of other States pre-
cluding possibility Of obtaining work
by local mechanics on their own muni-
cipal buildings, and in order to protect
themselves have drafted the following
law:
PROPOSED LAW.
An Act relating to the construc-
ton of public works, Improvements
and buildings by this State and its
municipalities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and
General Assembly of the State Of
New Jersey.
In the construction of public
works, improvement and buildings
by persons contracting with State
or municipality, only citizens of the
United States shall be employed;
and in all cases where persons are
employed ON any such public works,
buildings and improvements, prefer
ence shall be given to citizens of the
State of New Jersey. In each con-
tract for the construction of public
works, buildings and improvements,
provision shall be inserted, to the
effect that if the provisions of this
act is not complied with the con-
tract shall be void.
The Central Labor Union promised to
use its entire influence in behalf of the
proposed law.
NEW MEETING HALL
The committee appointed to secure
new meeting hall reported in favor of
moving to Council Hall, at No. II Ho-
boken avenue where the United Building
Trades meet. Final action on the report
was deferred until the next meeting.
All delegates reported that trade was
good in their respective localities.
1t was reported that the strike among
the employees of the Cincinnati breweries;
was over and the ban on Cincinnati beer
was lifted.
A communication was received from
Tin and Shet Iron Workers Union No.
Is, stating that after January / next the
initiation fee of that local would be
raised to $50.
Among the new delegates seated were
Teamsters' Union No. 532 Of Jey
City-Jonn Hooker, Patrick Kenny and
Frank Dunnigan.
BARRIERS Union No. 463 of Union Hill
Henry Karl, Joseph Wolff. #
Iron Moulders' Union No. Z of Jersey
City William Karmatz.
AS the next regular meeting night of
the central body falls on Christmas no
meeting will be held until the second
,raoE n, Ta,,nor1,