Waterbury Democrat., 1902-07-16
STANDING BY THEIR GUNS
The Masons' Union Will Back
 up Hod Carriers.

Union Hours and Union Pay or Nc Work-CentraI Labor Committee
 Draws Up Set of Articles for Sig.
 natures of Contractors-A Meeting l Will Be Held and Plans Discussed
 at the Earliest Possible Moment. The Brick1ayers' and Masons' un- ions met last night and voted to re- new their allegiance to the bod car rierS by deciding to continue to refuse I to take stuff from non-union men.
 This means that the bosses and the
 men will have to get together if the
 difference is to be adjusted this year.
 One of the bod carriers said this morn l ing that the union will have to be
 recognized, else it will come back up on the bosses and make them feel it's hand, He declared with consider
 able emphasis that the bod carriers
 intend to remain in this fight to the
 finish. He denounced William Chat field in the most scathing terms and accused the old gentleman of being largely responsible for the conditions that exist in the labor market in Wa
 terbury at the present time. He re- lated several experiences which union men have had with MT Chatfeld and was positive that before the bod car riers returned to work again some un- lderstanding would be reached where 1 by union men shall not be left at home on pretense that business is dull and 'sscabs' brought ill to fill their l places.
 The committee appointed by the l Central Labor union is working hard 1 to straighten out the snarl, but so far nothing definite has been reached. The committee met a few of the bosses last night, but owing to the fact that Mir Gaffney is out of town and will not be home until tomorrow and some of the others did not put in an appear ance, it was decided to adjourn until this afternoon The conditions which the committee ask the bosses are as follows:
 We, the undersigned contractors, builders and masons, do hereby agree to the following conditions to settle the differences existing with the hod- carriers and masons' helpers.
 First To pay the bod carriers, etc, twenty-two and one-half cents an hour, eight hours to constitute a days work.
 Second. One and one-half times pay for overtime and double time for Sundays.
 Third. To take back as many of our former employees as possible and not to discriminate in any way against the union. In consideration, the hod carriers, etc, agree to return to work as soon as possible after the signing of this agreement. Also, they agree to submit any questions which may arise to the employers before taking our action on same and in case of a strike being declared, to give thirty days notice before said strike shall go into effect
 These conditions to be in effect from August 1, 1902, until May 1, 1903.
 There does not appear to be any thing unreasonable ill the proposition submitted to the bosses and it is thought that after all of them get to- gether they will come to an under standing with the men.
 Contractors who have been accus- toned to employ and discharge men without consulting others find it hard to yield to the new order of things, but it looks as if the time has come have to be given to labor. Take for example, William Chatfield. He is a hard working man himself and in point of service is one of Waterbury's old est contractors. He is regarded as an honest man and while some of the laborers rail at him others speak of him in the highest terms. Perhaps it is nothing more than justice to MT Chatfield to say that he is not the only builder in Waterbury who is opposed to signing an agreement not to hire non union labor But the conditions on which the Central Labor union committee offers to end the strike do not include any recognition of the un- ion, so that indications are favorable for a settlement. The committee takes the ground that this union ques- ton will right itself and the public appears to view it in that light, too.
 The labor question in Waterbury is before the public now as it never has been before 1t is hard to see how contractors and builders can afford to ignore the unions and it is doubtful if they are justified i'll opposing them so long as they ask for nothing un- reasonable.
 The contractors and the committee have planned for a joint session to- night, when it is thought the difference will be adjusted. One of the contrac- tors told Democrat reporter this af- ternoon that unless the men persist ir the signing of an agreement to hire no non union men the strike will be set tied tonight. "We have signed no such an agreement with the other unions," he said, sand I don't see why we should bind ourselves to the hod carriers The other unions didn't ask us to sign an agreement to employ none but union men. Of course I'm aware that when a man who didn't belon& to the union was put to work they soon found out whether he had q card or not. Tine bod carriers can do the same thing if they want to instead of com polling us to do 1t for thenl."