The sun., 1903-07-05
WAY OPEN TO RESUMING WORK
THAT'S THE EFFECT or THE
JOINT BUILDING CONFERENCE.
Plan OF Arbitration Adopted Little Dif-
ferent From That the Employers
PrOpOsed--l'niOns Expected to Ratify
II This Week-Then Work VIII Begin

All the unions of skilled mechanics in the
building trades have arranged for special
meetings early this week to vote on the
arbitration agreement accepted by repre-
sentatives of the ma jority of these unions
at Friday nights conference with the
employers association. So will the unions
of the unskiled trades. In the reconstructed
plan of arbitration the unskilled trades
will occupy a position subordinate to the
skilled trades, though the latter will take
care of the other labor interests as far
as possible.
It was o'clock yesterday morning when
the conference finally adjourned. Presi-
dent Grimes Of the Plasterers' Union made
a strong plea on behalf Of the Plasterers'
Laborers' Union which is on strike and is
being supplanted by the newly organized
Italian Plasterers' Laborers' Union, which
is an Incorporated body and has made an
agreement with the Master Plasterers' As
sociaton to work for 50 a day with only
straight wages for overtime.
The plasterers' laborers, who were re-
ceiving 83.2 day, made demand before
May for $3.50 a day and double wa ges
for overtime They gained their demands,
but would not sign an agreement, their
intention being, according TO the en-
ployers, to be in position to demand still
higher wages. The employers refused to
make any advance unless an agreement
for a year was signed, and the laborers
then went on strike. Then the Italian
Pasterers' Laborers' Union was organized
and agreed on a scale of SO a day On
this the strikers withdrew all demands
and offered to 60 back az tho old rates
of Ss.25 a day. Then the employers told
them that the wages were So and that they
ought to join the new union and reapply
for work.
Grimes appealed for the 1925 a day for
tho strikers. though his union had no di-
rect interest in the matter. He was out
voted and all he gained was the resolu-
ton printed in yesterdays Sun, guarantee
ing that the wages now paid in unskilled
trades shall not be reduced nor the hours
of work increased from the date Of the
general acceptance of the arbitration
agreement
1t was agreed on both sides yesterday
that had it not been for the action of tho
Civic Federation's Cancellation Committee
EMPLOYERS and employees were little likely
to have come together.
Among the unions not represented di-
rectly or indirectly at the conference the
strongest ia that of the Housesmths, the
organizat ion controlled by Sam Parks
just now this union is not in as strong a
position as it was some time ago. The
iron work on the subway will soon he fin
ished. the new East River bridge is nearly
completed and iron workers are being laid
off on other large contracts. Under these
circumstances, even if Parks objects
10 the arbitration agreement his union
may adopt the plan.
II ia understood that as soon as any union
accepts the agreement under its union seal,
work for that union will be resumed till
the whole building trade is busy again.
Opposition on the part OF the unskilled
trades NAV delay matters for while, but
many of the strikers are in hard straits, and
most of them will be glad Of any excuse to
return to work.
Edward A. Moffett Of the Civic Fedora