The sun., 1903-05-04
ONE.SIDE SUBWAY AGREEMENT
E. =. q. FINDS THAT 4 VIOLATION
ON IRIS SiDE WAS PROPER

Indignantly Rcp,,diates . Charge That
II lIas broken Faith by Permittins
I THIS strike After Agreeing 10 Ar
4 nitrate Disput es--I3acks It's Union
T. After a rcd-hot debate lasting for an
hour and half he Central Federated Union
yesterday declared itself on the side OF the
Rockineri's and Excavators' Union, whose
members are on strike in the subway for
an increase of wages from $3.50 and 61.7j
to 50 and 50. a day.
| The Central Federated Union has an
agreement with the rapid transit contract
ors which does not expire until June =.
under which all disputes are to be settled
4 by arbitration. The Excavators Union
did not exist when this agreement was
made, but II Is an1liated with the Central
Federated Union and Is formally recog-
| nized By the central body. When its de-
mands came up two or three weeks ago the
Central Federated Union hesi,ated to in
! dorse them and referred them to commit :
| tee for investigation. The next week,
however. it indorsed the demands in
| hurry, not SO much upon their merits as
| because the union was affiliated with the
| Central Federated Union and to refuse
| would violate all precedent. Then the
strike to enforce the demands was promptly
declared
The rapid transit contractors hold that
the Central Federated Union has distinctly
violated its agreement with them by in
dorsing the demands of the now union in
face of the agreement without notifca-
tion to them. They sent this letter to the
Central Federated Union yest"rlav
NEW YORK Nav . 1903
Rapid Transit Committee Of Central Federated
GINrLEMEN: The committee OF the sub
contractors Of the rapid transit railway
hereby wish to notify you that the agreement
OF June I. ,lnol entered into between the
tractors on the rand transit railroad has
been violated by tae strike OF the Rockmens
and Excavat ors mon. a part OF your central
BODY . o.a ,,o,
body would admit TO- membeI;rshin 9dditlonsl
therefore insist that the matter be taken up
by y9n at once and the men ordered back on
COMMITTEE OF RAPID TRANSIT CONTRACTORS.
W. Il. Douglas. Secretary.
One Of the frs, Central Federated Union
committees to report after this letter was
read Yesterday was the settlement COM
mittee appointed two years ago TO enforce
the agreement with the rapid transit con-
tractors and called the Rapid Transit Com
mittee 1t consists of John J. Pallas. chair
man; James McConville and James Holland
Chairman Pallas was out OF town yester-
day and it devolved on McConville to make
the report. He told of conference last
Friday with the rapid transit contractors
about a grievance OF the cable splicers
and said that was practically settled. Then
he sat down.
lis that all'' said, said the chairman Wasn't
McConvi!e !e with apparent reluctance
admitted that at this particular confer
ence the contractors insisted that the Cen
tral Federated Union had violated the
agreement with them by indorsing the
demands Of the rockmen and excavators
and allowing them to strike.
Several delegates jumped up and de-
cared that the c. F. L. mad stood by it's
agreement. Delegate Green of the kock-
drllers said that the sub-contractors had
been violating the agreement from time
to time all along, and there was furious
applause. There was more applause when
Delegate DAILY OF the Dock Builders Union
said:
"The regular wages of laborers have
have been plundered for two years by
getting less than this. the contractors vto-
lated the agreement.
Herman Robinson. who organized the
excavators, most Of whom are Italians.
unable to speak English declared that
Jne I. +. u. SIlOuiu Pu' itS ioOl OoNu Oh
wages aid support people
who wanted to live up to American staid-
ards.
"This makes me tired" said Delegate
Staunton OF the Elect rical Workers. 'Ex-
cavators is only polite word for laborers.
them when there was another organization
OF laborers in existence? Everybody knows
that the union is not made up OF American
citizens. They don't want to be citizens.
This rot about them wanting to live up to
American standards makes me sick. Howls
OF disapproval from the Socialists. Some
of them are the scum of the earth. Most
of them want to hurry back to Italy after
they make as much money as they can
here"
Samuel B. Donnelly of Typographical
Union No. 8 talked about the ancestors
Of all America ms starting in with picks al d
shoves ard there was much more to the
same effect. Finally a motion was carried,
declaring that the c. F. U. repudiated the
charge that 1t had violated the agreement
and that it HI right to indorse the de-
mands.
1t was decided to increase the Rapid
Transit Committee to seven members and
to confer with the rapid transit con-
tractors about possible settlement Of the
strike.
rapid transit contractors at John B.
McDonald's Office in Park row to-day.
NJ j. Degnon OF the Degnon-M Mclean
Company said yesterday that the, strike
situation was practically unchanged 40
far as his company was concerned Mr..
Degnon thinks that the men will return
to work to-day.
IF thew don't" said he. "we will zee
about filing their places with men from
the South. We do not intend to pay the |
men any more than we have been paying
them"
Vito Pacello. president Of the Excav tors
Union, said last night that the union would |
stand by it's demands and wasn't afraid |
OF the negroes from the South taking its
members places.
"The nigoers won't stay here two hours
said he. ave won't harm them. but we'll |
get up parade and that will frighten them |
away"
Tho Team Drivers Union reported that
4oo Of it's striking members have gained
their demands.
MEN RUNNING TUGS. |
And Like the DaIzcIis. They're No Cutters |
PILOTS watching Strikes Outcome.