The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-03

sam Lester Jr., j 1hnSOn Bros. +. a. Ia
rex. {. West, John Cook. Frank Payne
Jas. S. Walker. Holmes & Watkins, r. b.
Christians1n. George w. Nickel. w. H.
Daniel ]. J. Davis, j. Holland. a. j.
ILoffenbeck. William Lester. Albert
Shaw. William Showaker. Ed L. Butter
field S. b. Wood, Allen &, Roemisch
Mitchell Bros A. l.. Hamlin S II WOr-
then. August Rudine. A. & J. Mcdonald
n. j. Armstrong, George Curly, Andrew
Crundfer, Frank Atkinson. Geo. Cushing
Bywater Groo. J. f. McGinty, c. l..
Bennett. A. e. Rainel, George RaybOld.
+. =. Sn0ppe & Co. c. o. Bonnerod. w
J. buckingham, George Austen, Oliver
HOdsOn, c. Timdersen.
Forced to Take Step.
A contractor in discussing the shut
down and the causes that led up to II,
said:
I'VE have had so much experience
lately with the unions calling strikes
on work every other day or two, and
thus leaving US I'm tight places. that
we have been forced to take this step.
IL had gotten TO such a stage that
when man bid on work and had his
laborers there, a representative of the
union would come along and, because
a single nOn-uniOn man happened to
be carrying brick or something of that
sort, every other labOrer on the build
ing would be called out on a strike.
This got to be almost a daily oc-
currence. We could never tell when
we were going to be able to carry on
work and when we weren't. And the
worst of il all was that no explanation
was ever made to us as to why the
men were called out so frequently.
They were all receiving more than the
union scale of wages and they GER
talnly had no grievance on that score.
They never told US what the cause was
and we decided that we could not deal
with them until We learned what the
trouble is.
The inconsistency of the whole thing
Is well shown by this little incident
A force of men was at work construct
ing house. 1t became necessary to
alter the chimney and a non-union
man was hired to carry the bricks into
the house and assist in remOdeling the
chimney. Simply because this man
was not a member of the union. that
organization sent its walking delegate
along and ordered all the carpenters,
bricklayers and other workmen out on
q strike. These strikers walked the
streets without a job until the non
union man finished his work OF carry
ing the bricks. and then they returned
To their jobs.
Not Safe in Bidding.
Such things were of daily occur
renee almost. With such conditions
upon work because we never knew
what moment a strike might be or
dered. and. of course. there was no
telling whether we would be able TO
complete job in contract time or not
We cannot afford TO make any more
bids on work because Of this uncer-
tainty. As consequence we decided
to stop everything and allow the union
men to walk the streets until they de-
eide to come to time and act in man
ner that Will give us a chance to make
living.
The whole trouble hinges on the
fact that the Building Trades council
is trying to force the bricklayers to
join that organization. BY the char
ter of the council this is impossible.
vet a little bunch of twenty-five hOd
carriers is trying to force the issue
regardless of the charter. The brick
layers don't want to join the council.
As consequence whenever there is a
chance the council calls a strike 10
cripple the work of the bricklayers, ap-
parently for the sole purpose Of trying
to compel them to obey the wishes Oe
the council
I'VE have nothing against the unions
so long as they remain separate and
fight their own battles. but when they
consolidate and the troubles Of one
organization cause a walkOut of all
members Of another organization that
has no troubles at ALL we must do
something to protect our own inter-
ests.'
The extent Of the effects of this shut
down cannot be estimated at present.
The stoppage of building Will cripple
business in almost every line. The loss
of at least $500 per day by the labor
ing men Of the building trades will
have q far-reaching effect upon trade.
The shutting off of all demand in the
city for brick, lumber. stone and other
building material WILL it is believed.
close down the brick yards and some
of the stone quarries, and of course,
building line that has been started or
was to have been commenced.
The contractors admit that the
measure is a stringent one but they
believe it is the only way of averting
more serious troubles later on. 1t is
believed that after the union men have
been idle for a month or two they viii
be willing to lay aside their labor trou-
bles and go back to work upon a basis
satisfactory to all concerned.
The Trades and Labor council held a
meeting in Federation hall last night
to discuss the action taken by the con-
tractors. They spent several hours
talking over matters, but at the con-
clusion Of the meeting they declined to
make any statement to the public They
asserted that what they had to say
would be said later. Individual mem
bers approached would not give any ex-
preston Of their opinions in the matter. /