Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-09-29
WHAT THEY THINK.
Representative of the Seneca
Factory Talks.

A representative of the Seneca
Glass factory talked of the strike
which is in progress down the Av-
enue and in which of the factory is
one of the interested parties. He
had NEW DOMINION man as "a hear
er.
He stated that the company would
close its factory down and refuse to
run any more If it had to run as
union factory.
All during the history of the fac
tory before it come here and alter
it located in Morgantown it had run
with little or no trouble with its
employees and at all times paid them
the wages which were received by
men working in union factories.
There is no kick now on the wages
or the hours but it is simply the
question of being allowed to hire
men whom they want and discharge
men whom they do not want. The
nnions demand them that they shall
employ union men only.
Before the formation of the unions
there was no strike at the Seneca.
The factory run right along and
shut down very few weeks in the
summer. Even when there was little
or no demand for their ware they
went ahead making it and piling it
up in order TO keep their people EN-
ployed.
After the formation of the union
there have been nine strikes. These
have been costly to the company and
no money has been made by the fac
tory since the unions were formed.
When the Morgantown was pay
ing SO cents dozen for a certain
kind of cut ware the Seneca was
paying $120 and when the Seneca
wanted to cut to the union rate they
werestold that if they did a strike
would be called The men who made
the threats were told that this was
the rate in the Pittsburg district
and they refused then to aecede to
the cut.
Directors in the factory who are
stockholders are denied the right to
work IN their own factory while the
MON is out. One man who was as
uaulted for working was employed in
the packing room. He does not be-
long to the union and cannot belong
to it.
Many of the employees are said to
want to go ito work. They have
saved money since they have been
here and nave homes. Some of them
have failed to pay off the indebted
ness on these homes and unless they
get to work soon they will see their
savings eaten up by fines in building
and loan societies and in interest.
Hardships are being experienced
by those who are not in the unions
and who cannot get to join in order
to aid the men who belong to win
their fight. The members of the
union are getting strike benefits
which are not paid to the rest Of the
working people.
At the same time some of these
strikers who refuse the right to
work have entered into competition
with laborers with pick aud shovel
and have taken their Jobs at % cents
day less than was being paid to
the men whose places they took.
If the men were striking for wages
or shorter hours or any thing to
their advantage they would have a
better case. AS it is they have
placed themselves in a position of
wanting to run the factory as they
say in spite OF the wishes OF the
factory owners. They wapt to say
who shall be employed and who
shall not be employed.
There are less than 100 men left
in town now who belong to the un-
ions and they are keeping thousands
of dollars out of circulation every
week and hurting the best interests
of the town.
At the same time some of them
have given exhibitions of lawlessness
in assaulting working and creating
a condition of affairs here which is
giving the town a bad name.
One of the leaders of the labor or
CARNATIONS states that there are
some hot heads whom the organiza-
tion cannot control. That is why
the courts have been asked to con
troll them and the injunctions which
were issued some days ago came
about through this condition of af-
fairs
All these claims and more were
made by the representative of the
com any. He said that the people
who owned the Seneca factory had
done much to make the town what
it was. They only want the right
to run their factory to suit them
selves and to employ whom they
please with the right to discharge
any man whom they do not want
He was somewhat sore on account
of the attitude of the zeal papers
who refused tn make campaign in
favor of the factory owners as
against the working men. He was
told that it was not the province OF
the papers to enter in the adjust
ment of the difficulty or to say who
was right and who was wrong in the
matter. HIS opinions are quoted
! :. L.