The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-14
NATIONAL ANTI.UNION REVOLT
FEDERATION or EMPLOYERS MAY
CROW OFT or THE STRIKES.
Firms Al Over the Country Ask to Join
the Building Trades Association in
It's Fight Against Union Nctation

Yesterdays developments attested that
the employers in the building and allied
trades in every large city in the country
are now likely to join with the Building
Trades Association Of Manhattan and The
Bronx in fight all along the line against
union dictation. A national federation Of
employers, who give work to millions OF
mon, may be formed to put an end by con-
certed action to the attempt Of the unions
to subordinate the employers interests
10 their own and to restore confidence to
the building industry.
The board Of managers Of the Building
Trades Association spent Tuesday evening
and most Of yesterday morning arranging
for the meeting, to be held tomorrow at
1929 Broadway Of all the associations Of
employers in Manhattan and The Bronx,
10 arrange plans for fighting the extravagant
demands which three or four years Of pros
paritv has inspired the labor unions to
make. SO many applications were re-
ceiyed from firms outside New York and
Brooklyn that the plans were changed.
~ admit outside employers the meeting
will be one Of delegates only. When 1t is
over larger meeting 81 representative
employers will probably be held in one OF
The largest halls in the city to take further
action
4 prominent member of the board OF
managers said yesterday: IF the meeting
on Friday night is a success. and believe
j, will be, it is probable that n national
federation OF employers will be formed
TO be able to deal with extravagant de-
mands by labor unions. We have received
applications to attend Fridays meeting
from employers in Chicago. Philadelphia,
ST. Louis. Milwaukee. Boston. and many
other cities which are centres of labor
industries.
If such national federation is formed,
il will be an organization employing mill
ions Of men in all branches Of the building
industry
John j. Cooney OF Cooney, Eckstein
4 Co.. one of the largest wholesale lumber
firms in the country. made similar state
ment in regard to the situation. Mr..
Cooney, who is director in several banks,
was asked what would be the financial
status of the firms engaged in the revolt
against union dictation II the fight is pro-
longed.
no better paper in the market to-day than
that of the lumber dealers of New York.
As matter of fact the banks are fighting
for them. They can have unlimited credit
and will have it for a fight like this, whether
1t lasts for week or six months. Take
the records Of business failures. and you
will find there are fewer failures among
the lumber dealers in this city than among
the men in any other branch OF business.
OF the general situation he said: 1T is
absurd for any one to think that the present
battle will he ended soon by financial con-
dtiona in the building trades. This can
not be, because in this trade. as the saying
h, one hand washes the other: that Is to
~ al IF nnft ION ~
the building trades depends upon the.nom-
jtsercjsi paper Of the other. III our case
Il Is Just like an endless chain: one section
wi. vii take ! care Of another section in this
W. H. Redmond Of stetson. Cutler 4
Redmond, who furnish 10 per cent. OF the
spruce lumber used In this country, said
tie idea that anybody could be squeezed
out Of the business by the men standing
together was preposterous.
II Is not against the wages demanded that
the employers are arrayed 80 much as
gainst the check the unions put upon
individual effort. An employer said to
THE Sun reporter:
"If the shop steward, who is a sort OF
inside walking delegate. thinks man Ia
union. and the man can be disciplined
and perhaps fined. In the case Of men
who are employed on piecework, man
who is looked upon as a pacemaker soon
gets INTO trouble Win the union.
a man must not be commended by the
foreman. If he is, it lie suspected that he is
working too hard and setting a pace for
the others. He is then likely to he dis
riplned and perhaps fined on some tech
rcal charge. 1t IL these and many other
harassing requirements by the union
that the Employers have to fight against
Michael Stanton, chairman Of the strike
commit, ee of the Board Of Building Trades,
s,id Yesterday at the meeting OF the board
~ Brevoort Hall:
We are prepared to receive orders for
delivery Of any building material. The
Lumbar Dealers Association seem to think
they can hold out il they can stand it
We can"
EDUCATION BOARD ANXIOUS ABOUT SCHOOLS.
A. special meeting of the Board Of Edn-
cation yesterday, Commissioner Adams
OF the building committee complained that
no progress was being made in building new
schools on account of the present strikes
in the building trades and that no new con-
tracts for more schools could be made,
proposition that the board issue an appeal
"a the strikers not to hold up the building
II new schools was voted down