Arizona republican., 1903-09-28
AN "OPEN" SHOP
Steinway & Sons Resolve
 to Keep it Open.
A Strike to Go Into Effect on October Will Be Ordered Against the Great Piano naking Firm.

h, makers, including 6,OOO to 1000 men throughout the city. have been plan ned by the Piano Makers union for recognition of that body, beginning with a strike in all the factories of Steinway & Sons on October l. This will be the first strike against Stein way & Sons in twenty-one years. The strike will be under the auspices of the Piano and Organ Makers International union of America.
 The demand that all the 900 men in tho factories of the firm join the union before October l has been made on the firm with the ultimatum that unless this is done a general strike will be ordered on that date. The demand has been refused by the firm, as were also demands for time and a half for over time and double wages for work done on Sundays and legal holidays.
 The demands were indorsed by the Central Federated union about six weeks ago. Some time later at meet ing of the Steinway employees, where most of those who attended were en- rolled as members of the union, com mittee of the employees was appointed
 
 with the ultimatum that strike will take place on October 1st if they are not granted. The demands were sub mitted on September 24th, and on Fri day 9 circular was issued by the firm to its employees refusing the demands.
 The firm made public last evening it's circular in reply to the demands, which reads as follows:
 hnralVith lHdt irf of your communication of September A in which we are asked first to prac- tically force all our employees into the union, and, secondly. are requested to grant a bonus of 50 per cent for over time all weekdays and of 100 per cent for overtime on Sundays and legal holidays. We hereby desire to notify you that both requests are absolutely refused, and. to save any long drawn out explanations we refer you to par agraphs %, 30 and 31 of our factory rules and regulations, reading as fol- lows:
 No 29-Any attempt by one or more employees to coerce fellow workmen by threats of intimidation against the in clination of the latter into the pay ment of contributions of any kind. or into membershi7 of s.ff-- orga niza tior, or in like manner to attempt to pre- vent fellow workmen from relinquish- ing such membership will Gf consider ed proved by the undersigned) subject the offending employe to immediate dismissal.
 No. 30-Every person employed in this establishment who conforms to the rules and regulations, behaves decent ly and performs his work to the satis- faction of the employers, shall in all other respects enjoy full personal lib- erty in the exercise of his own free resolutions and will be fully protected in his situation by the undersigned Causes for just complaints should be addressed to our office either verbally or in writing.
 No. 31-Every person employed in this establishment has to submit to and act according to the foreging rules and regulations, and by the fact of work ing in this factory agrees to be bound by them in every respect.
 President Charles H. Steinway, of the firm, said ill an interview this evening:
 To grant the demand would mean that the union would run our shops. This we could by no means agree to- The union men say that they will not work with the non-union men. There are. we believe. only one third of the men in the union. and it would be just as logical if the non-union men demanded the discharge of the union men. In September, 1882, the men went on strike for similar demand to the present one. We discharged them, and the strike was lost. Since then we have not discriminated either against union or non-union men, and have paid the higher wages. If the men strike we will have to discharge them and fill their places. This we do not want to have to do, as we are on good terms with them.
 A meeting of the executive commit tee discussed the circular at a meeting and denounced it vigorously. declaring it to be arrogant in spirit. The union will meet tomorrow to make arrange ments for the strikes and to make de- mands OF other employers.