Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-16

PIE MI. duncan learns, met with the APP
prevail OF the District authorities, and the
hrm agreed to furnish this kind of stone,
without making an increase in it's bid.
Onoef tne present agreement with the
union ana the firm the employees of the bid
GERS receive minimum wages at the rate of
$2So per diem, and receive so much per foot
for cutting stone by the piece system The
rate OF the piece system varies according
10 the quality of the stone and the neces-
sary work to be performed in cutting The
hrm, Mr.. Duncan states, based it's bid at so
much per foot for the cutting of the low
grade stone. sample of which was first
presented When the first sample was re-
1ected. 1t is claimed, the firm offered the
cutters an advance of 2 cents per foot
above the rate for the 1ow-grade stone If
they would cut stone of the quality of the
second sample submitted. The workmen
declined this offer, for the rea son that the
rate for cutting the high-grade stone is
cents higher than is the schedule price on
loW-grade stone. At the same time it is
stated. although the workmen defined to
cut the hsh-grade stone at the rate of in
crease OF cents per foot, they informed
tneir employers that they would cut the
stone at the minimum rate of s. so per
diem, the union wages. AT that rate they
agreed to cut any kind of stone the en-
ployers placed before them
MT Duncan states that as soon as the
employers were informed that the work
men would not cut the high-grade stone for
an advance Of 2 cents above the rate for
low-grade work they were in a dilemma
s.,
rate of $3.50 per diem the cost Of cutting
OF the curbing would exceed the contract
price by several hundred dollars Not be-
ing willing to admit that they had bid too
low on the work, according to Mr.. Dun
cans statement. the firm forfeited its con-
tract, under the plea that the workmen
had increased the rate cents per foot
after the contract had been awarded This
statement, Mr. Duncan characterizes as I'M
true. and says the union has been unjustly
placed in the position of contract breaker.
A heated discussion was precipitated at
the meeting Monday evening of Retail
Clerks Union, NO 262 over the rumor that
1t was the purpose Of the propretors of
several of the local stores to keep open
until 10 O'Clock Saturday nights. Under
the contracts entered into with the union
the firms have agreed to close their stores
at o'clock Saturday nights. and have
been doing for some time.
The rumor was current last week that the
employers purposed breaking that contract.
special committee was thereupon desig-
mated to inquire as to its authenticity. The
committee visited the firms with which the
union holds contracts, and It was learned
that the rumOr was groundless.
Fire Department Employees Protective
and Beneficial Union, No. SS46 has with
drawn from utilization with the Central
Labor Union. In letter to the secretary
of the latter body the firemen state: 1--WE
take this action owing to the fact that we
have had no delegate to represent US for
some time at the G. L. U. meetings, and
| tndt IL Is d nara matter 10 get a man ON
our union to act delegate to attend the
c. L. u. meetings on his day off, espe-
cially when man gets off so seldom, say
every fifth day. and If 1t should happen
that a DELICATE was present at one Of the
c. L. U. meetings he listens to grievances
of the different building trades and other
unions. which do not concern our union in
the least. And, therefore, we cannot see
where he would derive any benefits from
attending such meetings. especially when
working for the government. and that it
would take act Of Congress to pass the
object that we are longing for, namely
shorter work day.
The existing controversy involving trade
Jurisdiction between the Washington branch
Of the Granite Cutters National Union and
Bricklayers' Union No. of the Bricklay
ers and Masons International Union has
been placed in the hands Of the Central
Labor Union and the executive committee
of the Granite Cutters National Union.
The granite cutters charge the bricklayers
with infringement upon certain work on two
local churches and a college.
1t is stated that should President George
Westinghouse of the Westinghouse Elec-
trical and Machine Company of Pittsburg
give an unfavorable reply to the recent let
ter of President Samuel Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor and PreSi-
dent James O'Connell of-the Interna tional
Association Of Machinists respecting the
pending controversy over wages between
the latter organization and that firm, 1t is
more than likely that the union machinists
electrical workers and all other workmen
employed by the firm in connection with
the work at the Louisiana purchase EXPOSE
ton will be called upon to strike.
AS stated in The Star exclusively, the
Manufacturers Association of Pittsburg re-
Gently entered into an agreement giving
their machinists an increase in pay. The
Westinghouse company. which is not
member Of that association, refused to
ant 10 Ia lob
Gals 1t Is understood. have decided to bring
pressure to bear upon the company at st.
Louis. The Westinghouse company has
the contract 1t Is said. Of installing all
electrical appliances machinery and mo-
tive power in the buildings composing the
forthcoming exposition.
President Gompers Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor Is in Philadelphia on bust
ness. He is expected to return to Wash
ington tomorrow.
Union resolution was adopted to the eff
feet that organized labor throughout the
country be urged to petition the President
of the United States to modify his order of
no discrimina ton, and order w. A. Miller's
dismissal from the government service to
promote the efficiency of that service"
At the meeting of the Central Labor Union
Monday evening letters were read from the
BRIDGE Mass; Norfolk, Va. Independence,
Kan; Hartford, Conn; Boston, New York
and ST. Louis; Typographical Union No.
100 and Trades Assembly. Bradford, Pa;
Tri-City labor congress. Rock Island, ILL.,;
the United Brotherhood of Carpenters of
Independence. Kan. indorsng the action of
the local central body The letter also
stated that the unions had acted in accord
ance with the wishes of the local Central
Labor Union and pledged their support to
the local bookbinders in the Miller contro-
versy.
The Allied Council Of Building Trades Of
the Central Labor Union has taken a lease
on the building at the southwest corner of
9th and streets northwest, and has es-
tablished headquarters there. The building
contains three large halls and is supplied
with the necessary ante-rooms. It has
been thoroughly renovated and will be de-
voted to social purposes in addition to be-
ing the headquarters Of the majority Of the
unions forming the council. Secretary E.
]. Ratigan has charge Of the premises and
attends to all business bearing on the local
building trades in his office there. The
organizations forming the council follow:
Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers. No.
1O2; Bridge and Structural Iron Workers,
No 8; Brotherhood Of Carpenters. No 1870;