The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-14

Inc members OF the BUILDERS Ex-
change at Il meeting held yesterday
afternoon decided to drop all negotia-
tions looking toward settlement of the
carpenters strike which has been pend
ing in the city for the last three years
and to refuse under any consideration
to have further intercourse with Local
Union No. 563, United Brotherhood Of
Carpenters and Joiners Of America.
The negotiations for the settlement
Of the strike were begun some two
weeks ago through the efforts Of the
executive committee of the Central
Labor Union. At Joint conference
held on Tuesday night the contrac tors
submitted the following proposition to
the carpenters with the announcement
that 1t was their ultimatum and that
under no consideration would they
alter or amend it.
Provided all strikes and boycotts against the
Builders Exchange and its individual members
are declared off at once, the master carpenters
will declare an eight (s) hour day. pay mini.
mum rate OF thirty (SO) cents per hour to all
good mechanics and employ only fifteen per
cent. of journeymen carpenters us improvcrs;
make no discrimination between union and non.
union men; pay time and one.half for all over.
time, and double time for all legal holiday and
Sunday work; no strikes nor boycotts, and agree
to settle all disputes by joint conference. Tho
same to take effect on August /, 1902.
The original demand of the carpen-
ters was for an eight hour day and
u minimum wage Of thirty cents an hour.
The delegates to the conference
wouldn't agree to the PROPOSE
tion submitted by the builders
being particularly insistent that
the eight hour day should go
into effect on June instead Of August
/. This the builders would not agree
to because of the great amount Of
work now under way which was con-
tracted for on u different basis.
ULTINIATUM OF BUILDERS.
The ultimatum of the builders was
presented at a meeting of the carpen-
ter's union held on Friday night last
After some discussion the following
counter proposition was agreed upon
and was submitted to the builders on
Monday:
Scranton. Pa, May 9, 1902.
10 the Contractors and Builders OF the City Of
Scranton:
Gentlemen: We, the undersigned, respectfully
submit the following as our reply to your propo.
sition, submitted through our committee.
We desire to say, will enter into an agree.
men, provided it goes into effect June 1st, 1902,
and that YOU completely unionize all employees
who work at carpenter work, or those who work
at brick work in the mills. With tile following
rules submitted.
y. p. Gorton. President.
.. l.. Lutz, Recording Secretary.
The rules submitted with this propo-
siton provide for an eight-hour day: q
minimum wage Of thirty cents per
hour for journeymen and thirty-five
cents an hour for foremen; pay time
and-a-half for all over-time; double
pay for legal holidays and Sundays; a
payday every two weeks; contractors
to be permitted to employ 10 per cent.
of total number of employees as appren-
tices: transportation to be allowed ac-
cording to established schedule when
working out of town; disputes to be set
tied by joint conference and to be re-
ferred to three disinterested parties for
final decision in case they cannot be
thus settled
The particular objection on the part
of the builders to this counter PROPOSE
ton as developed at yesterdays meet
ing was the last clause which puts it
up to them to employ none but union
carpenters. This was deemed imposs-
bic Of acceptance and the whole mat
ter was dropped by a unanimous vote.
WHAT CONTRACTOR FINN SAID.
Contractor George Finn. one of the
leading members of the Builders In
change and who has taken an especial
active interest in the negotiations now
broken off said after the meeting in
commenting on the action taken:
"If we should agree to the carpenters