Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-06
Both Sides Stand Firm, with No liga Of
Offering Concessions
AR BUILDERS TAKE CENTER OF STAGE
Vital Results Depend on New Conference
with the Officials
ALL REFUSE TO ACCEPT PIECE WORK
Company Continues to Import Nom
union Men. who Desert shops
AA Result of Influence by
the strikers.

The strike in the Union Pacific shops en-
tiers upon its fourth week, with the ranks OF
the union men larger and more formidable
than at any stage OF the contest. The ad-
dition yesterday OF the blacksmiths swells
the total number to its maximum and gives
the strikers greater potency. It Is dificult
to give the exact number Of shopmen Of the
various crafts now out, as it is not known
even by the strikers themselves what pro-
portion OF the blacksmiths over the entire
system left their shops yesterday. Count
ing the journeymen and their helpers II is
estimated that there are about 225 in all
the shops. II all this number struck It will
bring the aggregate number of strikers UP
to about 1.4O0.
The boilermakers, machinists and black
smiths are the component elements Of the
strike. The boilermakers went out June
Is, being the first to take this action. They
were followed shortly by the machinists.
who did not strike, however. until the COM
pany had discharged most OF their number
in the various shops Of the system.
Troubles of Car Builders.
About the same time the car builders be-
came dissatisfied with their wage scale and
applied to the company for conferences to
adjust matters. A series OF meetings was
held at the headquarters In this city for
a period of Ave days. at the end OF which
the car builders and officials announced
their mutual satisfaction with an arrange
ment which had been effected and the men
returned to their work. The blacksmiths
then stepped 70 the center of the stage,
reaching their climax Saturday.
Every blacksmith and helper In the
Omaha shops. seventy-ive in all, went on a
strike yesterday. The direct cause was the
company's action In importing nonunion
men into the shops. but the primary griev-
ance was against piecework. 1t had been
predicted for several days that the black
smiths would strike and on Thursday last
they formed three-day truce with the off,
cials, agreeing to remain in the employ OF
the Union Pacific for that length of time,
pending possible developments which might
remove their sources OF complaint and en-
able them to avoid striking.
Not n Blacksmith at Work.
At o'clock Saturday morning. however.
not blacksmith or his helper appeared at
the shops and within an hour a formal
statement was issued declaring the strike
on. The men had intended waiting for
the arrival of their supreme officer, Pres
ident Slocum Of Moline, ILL.,, but his fall
ure to reach the city did not deter them,
The blacksmiths at Armstrong. Kan, went
out with the boilermakers and thus have
been on strike for over three weeks
The report gained circulation yesterday
and was even confirmed by many OF the
brieklayers who have been engaged on the
new shop buildings In the Union Pacific
yards, that all the bricklayers were on q
strike also. This report is now denied
and the men say they will 60 to work
Monday morning unless some unforeseen
condition arises to change their minds.
When the first lot OF nonunion men
arrived In the yards the bricklayers mani
tested decided displeasure at the presence
OF the "scabs." as they called them, and
threatened to strike II the newcomers were
not taken out OF the yards This was
Thursday and of course on the Fourth the
bricklayers did not work, and as 1t is their
custom to put in only a half day Satur.
days, they did not report for duty yes.
terday. This led to the report, which
many Of the bricklayers confirmed, that the
men were on strike and would not re.
cede until the company removed its re.
cruits.
NOnuniOn Men Desert.
There have been three lots Of nonunior
men shipped into Omaha from CHICAGO
In the first car there were nineteen, twenty
having been employed. but one escapin1
before he reached this city: the second
car contained sixteen and the third, which
arrived late yesterday afternoon, held four.
teen. OF this number only thirty are nov
at the shops. or were there last night. 81,
OF the first lot made their escape within
few hours after their arrival, eIgh,
struck" Saturday morning when they wer,
told to go TO work at piecework wages
and later in the day fve made their exi
from the yards. The strikers are claim,
ing that all of these men viii be gone b.
Monday and that it will be impossible foi
the company to keep nonunion men.
Similar efforts have been made by thu
company in other cities to Nil the place.
Of the strikers with nonunion men, bu
their success thus far has not been emf
nent Nowhere Is there any considerabl,
number of men at work except In Evanston
where none OF the maehinists have struck
and possibly at Cheyenne. Whether tn,
men hired by the company at Chsyenn,
are at work or not Is not known outsid,
Of oficial circles here. but II is stated q
headquarters that a large number Is a
least available.
Waiting for McKeen.
Interest eenters now on the car builders
who, since the company's decision TO In
troduce piecework throughout the system
have declared their opposition TO the plal
and demand a new hearing with the ON
cials OF the road. Their dissatisfa ctiol
became so strong Thursday as to lead I,
the belief that they would strike within
a day or two. Word was therefore sen
20 Superintendent AeKeen. who was tn
leading factor for the company In tn
conferences with these men. and Mr.. Nc
Keen, who was at the western extremit,
OF the road with General Manager Dickin
son. wired that he would start for omAhl
as soon as possible. He is expected her
Monday. when he will reopen matters witt
| the car builders.
Much depends upon the result OF thi
conference. II the car builders strike 1
practically will deplsts the shops and II
up the construction and repairing depart
| of the Ifnion parfNc Thav taN