New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-24
SOME STRIKE PRETEXTS.
" hat Employers Are ORGANISED to
PreUent Hereafter.
UNION DISPUTES THE CHIEF CAUSE

UNION DISPUTES THE CHIEF CAUSE
Now that building is tied Up all over The city. the
mason builders and general contractors have time
10 swap anecdotes about their experiences. They
are wondering constantly how some buildings get
up at ali. when they think oe the frivolous pre-
texts on which strikes have been ordered It
learned from one of the contractors who are
cerned in the organization OF the Building Trades
Employers Association that 1t OF these
frivolous strikes which led to the shutdown the
Hecla Iron Works
The first trouble started about the erection OF
the iron marquse the main door of building
which the company had contracted for" he said
The rule was for the structural iron workers
put up the standards and for the archf' ectu-a iron
workers to do the ornamental work The door
wanted in hurry. and was finished quickly. but
IN accordance with the union rules. Next day
walking delegate appeared. and. without inquiring
concluded that one set Of had done the whole
Job He blew whistle. and a general strike was
declared. The company could not understand It
and II was two weeks before they could find
what the strike about
The walking delegate sent for. and IT
explained that the work done regularly. He
admitted that he had made a mistake, and then
was asked If he wouldn't put the mer back to work
No. by - he said they'll not go back TIL they
ge- waiting time By waiting time WIS meant
The time lost while the on strike. OF
course. the firm refused to pay the waiting time
which would have meant $50 The strike
tfnued. however, and the firm finally gave up $500
C'ier demands OF this kind finally led to the shut
down.
contractor said that one Saturday he was
getting ready to put things In shape to
nnent the floors in one Of his buildings on Monday
All that was to be done" he continued
was TO lay about twenty five thirty feet
thiro-st. and there very little to be
done. The who ought to do the work re-
fused. and got excavators TO do it. the
work occupying about hour A walking dele
Te6 air md SaoIr rha a
doing this work, ordered strike. l had to pay
waiting time before the strike ended"
"A new source of trouble has arisen between the
sheet metal workers and the gazers," said another
contractor. I'VE were putting in the windows in
the Chelsea Telephone Building. Seventeenth-st
and Ninth-ave The sashes metal and on
this account the sheet metal workers demanded
that they should do the glazing They refused to
@ I eaae ioF any xok e s IN %
ers then went on strike and we had to pay walt
A contractor who has had large contracts in
trouble once owing to dispute over jurisdiction
between roofers ard sheet metal workers.
roof" he said, Sthe foofeFs were entitled 10 me
Workers dd it, We we're putting up f snis bulk
heaa on the top Of roof 10 put staircase in il
ana was wanted in hurry. the Foofers did it, and
strike spread 10 every trade in the building''
A mason builder said that the brickiayers and
@a as to %ho shdG naa oe 8 wa
admit electric wires in new buildings. Both claim
the right The electrical workers are on strike
now q building, he said. between Ftfty-hrst
ard Fifty-secono SITS on Fffth-ave.. because the
brickiayers made this hole"
Another buiIceT said that he got into trouble
the running OF a temporary pipe so that
plasterers could get water.
Il told the elevator man to either put up the
pipe himself get the hosting TO do IL. he
SAL. He called me up on the telephone in about
hour and said that the plumbers would strike
If he did tile work Then let the plumbers do it,
I said. I thought that settled the matter: but
called up again and told IL :he plumbers did
the work the steamn.ters would strike then
told the elevator 10 get the matter fixed in
way. don't know how IL was ended but
there strike"
As an instance OF a frivolous strike a contractor
said:
'I had occasion TO carry PlaTk across the sect
the Vanderbilt houses, Ftfty-hTst-St and Fifth
ave. The nasons' laborers were busy. an
got cellar dirEers TO carry the plank across.
realized in two minutes Rad made mistake and
II required ten minutes of explanation 10 avert a
strike"