New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-17
NAY INVOLVE 10000 MEN
IN AID OF M4CHINISTS.
General sympathetic Strike of al
Trades IN IShipgards Probable.

Unless something unexpected happens, gen
eral sympathetic strike of all the trades in the
shipbuilding yards. involving about twenty
thousand men, is likely to take place at the end
Of this week or next Monday at the latest in
support of the machinists who have been on
strike for several months against the members
of the NeTv-York Metal Trades Association. This
strike win affect all the shipbuilding yards in
New-York and its vicinity, including those in
Staten Island and Jersey City. Elizabethport
and Hoboken, and will involve among others the
boiler1nakers blacksmiths, blacksmiths' helpers
pattern makers, carpenters, painters and copper
smiths.
The strike Of the marine Tnachinists, who be-
long TO District No. ID Of the international AS
ISOLATION of Machinists, ordered to enforce
p demand for a minimum wage rate of 80 day.
AT the time the demand was made the ma
ch:nists confidently believed that it would be
granted at once without hesitation-at least so
they ssid-and the refusal of the demand was
surprise to them.
About that time the New-York Metal Trades
Association was organized as branch Of the
National Metal Trades Association, and has
affiliated with it the principal shipbuldng firms
IN and around New-Yorl1, well as number
of other firms in the metal trades. The as
ISOLATION decided to stand by its members in
resisting the demand.
The strikers have succeeded in gaining the
demands in number of shops throughout the
city, but so far as can be learned none of the
proprietors of the shipyards have yielded or are
expected to yield They have obtained num-
her of men in place OF the strikers. but admit
that they have not anything like the number
of workers they need as far the machinists
are concerned.
The matter was brought up at the meeting of
the Central Federated Union yesterday by
James Wilson one of the delegates of the In
ternationai Association of Machinists He de-
clared thai the strike strong as ever.
but as the employers were evidently determined
TO hold out. ii was necessary that the machin-
lists have the cooperation of all the other unions
represented in the shipyards. He asked the
Central Federated Union to direct that the dele
gates of these unions be called on to act with
the delegates of the machinists in trying TO
force the employers TO come to terms Failing
in this. according TO the present programme,
general sympathetic strike in all the shipyards
will be declared The request of Wilson was
granted. and then George H. Warner, Delegate
Wilson'S co-delegate took the floor. Warner
made q hot speech in which he declared that
the strikers did not want any money; all they
wanted was support Of the unions in fighting
the matter out.
I'VE have plenty Of money-more, in fact, than
we need" he said. Qaughter) THE Metal
Trades Association mas been trying to prevent
our picketing the yards. but it can't do it. Our
pickets have been running around in steam
launches following the launches of the en-
blowers which are carrying away non-union
men to work We have succeeded in getting
many of them back, and if the other trades
stick TO us we will win. The employers have
been moving heaven and earth to get men. We
want the other trades to refuse 10 work with the
non-union men,
The refusal to work with non-union men
means a strike 1t was agreed that the dele
gates of the machinists and the other trades In
the shpyards will meet at Odd Fellows Han,
No 81 St Marks Place. Wednesday and ar
range to call on the Metal Trades Association at
once and ask that the demands of the machln-
lists for the minimum wage scale Of So a day be
granted. To judge from the attitude Of the
Metal Trades Association, the delegates say they
everything possible to avert the strike Delegate
Wilson when seen, said that he had received
assurances from several of the unions that they
were ready TO call their out in sympathy
when asked TO do He hoped that a strike
might be averted, but far the employers had
been obdurate in resisting all efforts made by
the union to gain the demands peaceably. Ac-
cording 10 the strikers. the employers are pay
ing premiums TO non-union men. by giving them
more than the minimum rate of wages demand
ed by the machinists. Despite this, they say
that few machinists are work Some of the
nasehinists now on strike involved in the
general strike in the shipbuilding yards a year
ago.