New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-09
BUILDERS IN Il TRUST.
Independents Sag the Industry May
Be Tied IN 4gain.

Bridgeport Conn. Dec S (SpeciaD.-When the
unions of the allied building trades OF this city
signed three years agreement last summer with
the master builders. which promised three years
of freedom from strikes and such disturbances it
was believed that trouble in the building trades
at end for a time at least. But diff
fculty appears which is likely to tie up the build
ing industry in this city first and then extend its
influence to other cities in this and other States
The latest dispute is between the master builders
who are members of the Interstate Builders. Con-
tractors and Dealers Association and the indie
pendent Master Builders Association.
The Independent builders met yesterday and dis
cussed plans for a campaign against the interstate
association. They will not disclose what action
they took but they do admit that the fight Will
not confne itself this city to this State, but
extend into New-York, Massachusetts and Rhode
Island, the States in which the interstate associa-
ton is well represented
The claim of the Independent master builders Is
that the interstate master builders have formed
a trust and have plan to capture the great bulk
of the building business of Connecticut, by dis
eliminating against the independent builders, and
refusing to work the same building with them
or to permit the independents to figure upon con-
tracts An independent builder, in explaining the
situation. said:
The interstate association. besides having master
builders in its organization, includes nearly all OF
the lumber dealers and builders supply men of the
State The interstate men have the assistance or
these dealers in fighting us II an lhleIstal mas
building, which carries with it the authority to
award the Sub-cOntraCtS, we Independents are 10
be frozen out We have been frozen out in some
cases and the trouble has just started. In order
10 break this combination. we held a meeting 70
consider plans. It is question of Self-preserva-
ton know the independents break this com
bination, Just the same the labor unions broke
the reference card system last summer # the
question comes to an issue will carry it into the
courts. 1t is pure discrimination and comes close
to the boycott, and l believe that any court will
decide that such action by association is il
legal and contrary to the law.
There are two reasons why the interstate asso-
citation wants to put the independents out of the
way. In the first place, we did not take up the
reference card system fight which they had with
the labor unions last spring. We its unjust
features, and knew that the unions would kill it,
association. and have refused, because there are
certain features which we do not think are liberal
enough
The chief reason why the interstate builders want
to put the independents out Of business is they
control all the building in the State and devise
a uniform scale of prices. which would that
they could raise the price of building their
ideas simply by calling meeting and voting
TO do it. The public would be helpless. If a man
MANNED TO build house independentIy Of the
lumber from the dealers because the dealers are
members of the interstate association.
The members of the interstate association are
ton TO the public about their affairs. One said:
Without entering into a discussion let me ask
one question. If il is fair for a union man TO re-
fuse TO work with 4 non-union man. why is it
not equally just for master builder to re-
fuse 10 work with independent dealer? indie
pendent master builders the same as non-IniOn
wOrkmen they not?
At present the labor unions are taking a neutral
pOSitiOn