The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-04-03
CHANGE TO CARD
!. SYSTEM FOUGHTBY
FEW EMPLOYERS
Slate Roofers Don't Well
come Its Provi.
sions.
LOCAL UNIONS ARE CONFIDENT

The situation among the building
contractors caused by the edict issued
yesterday through the building trades
council announcing that the card sys-
tenn on all building jobs would be put
into effect and would be strongly en-
forced, is very delicate and both the
labor leaders and the contractors refuse
to be interviewed upon tne subject.
From outward appearances it seems
that the contractors who have not
signed the union scale with their re-
spective workmen are slowly coming
into the folds, 1t Is said. however, that
one or two contractors, one of whom
is in the slate business will absolutely
refuse to sign an agreement with the
slaters' union. In many crafts, such
as the painters and paperhangers, all
the contractors have signed the scale
but at the same time these men are
hirdered in some instances by different
workmen who are working on the same
job but are non-nnion.
Three contracting carpenters, two
Stating contractors and three timing
contractors have not signed up but the
business agents claim that all OF the
largest contractors in the city have
signed up all the scales and that the
difficulty just now lies with the smaller
contractors. They seem to be disposed
to fight the matter out. The union
men are anxious to see the matter
Strengthened out but are all determin-
ed that if they must, they will stick
out the trouble as long as possible.
The financial conditions of the unions
in the building trades council are splen-
did and the men could afford to stay
out several months with the resources
now on hand.
Trouble at the st. Joseph's Catholic
church has been settled up and all the
men have returned to work again. A
few did not have cards and the union
men quit work yesterday. but the
matter was quickly settled up and ev-
erything is running again.
Business Agent Snyder of the Central
labor union who has been assisting tho
building trades council in settling up
lhe difficulties, takes a very good view
OF the situation and thinks that matters
will adjust themselves in a few days.
lie stated Tuesday morning that sew
eral contractors have been induced to
sign the union scale or have assured
The unions that they will sign up the
agreement before Friday.
But at the same time IL one contrac-
tor refuses to sign up it will work
great harm, since no union men will
work ON a job where a non-union man
is employed
The difficulty at the hotel Yohe.
where an addition Is being built to
the main part of the hotel has been
settled and all the men working ON
the job are union. There was one
non-union painter working on the ho-
tel and this was the cause of the trou-
BILE
The Carpenters union, probably the
most active organization of the
building Trades council in enforcing
the card system has since the last
few days received over so applica-
tions for membership. Each carpen-
ter who takes out an application and
pays the fees necessary for member
chip is given permit by the business
agent to work until the time OF the
next meeting op Friday night and
then he will appear before the union
and made n full-hedged member
Scores OF applications for membership
are being received by each union in
the Building Trades council
Contractor Heffner, who is building
several houses in the northern part
of the city, is still holding out against
the unions and has several non-union
painters, and carpenters working on
his contracts. 1t is thought however
that this disagreement will be settled
shortly.