The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-06
|&EgIES THE SUBWAY STRIKERS
>. ri EY DON'T GET TO WORK,
" nrcNON WILL FIND OTHERS.
rent More Than the High Wages
wv nov Paid. Not an Hour OF Work Less
Plenty Of Laborers Anxious for Such
Io,--C, r. U. Ready to Arbitrate.

committee Of the Central Federated
r.i,r vent back on It's former attitude
,ha demands of the Italian laborers on
~. subway and agreed yesterday to arbi-
,Os,;,n of their strike The sub-contractors'
sSociation consented to arbitrate. This
a., a conference between committees
y, the union and the association.
u Michael J. Degnon, president Of the Deg
,on.McIcAn Company, the most impor-
cont slb-contractor on the subway, made
this declaration:
''' - nav these Italians 81 .s711 for ten hours
-,rv d,y and 81 80 for eight hours work,
rbcb is the highest price paid anywhere
y. man vino are mere laborers, nothing
,,,rs [ will not give them one penny
wore under any circumstances and will
~, reduce the working day one hour l
an moi member of the contractors as
socia,on and was not invited to be. nor
,,s I present at to-day's conference. l
N not know what was done. and do not
AVA what was done. / have stated my
rsus on this matter and where l stand.
and rest there.
Il will wait reasonable length Of time,
.veral days il necessary, for these men to
oome back to work. They will have every
ouportunty to take their old places. IL
thew do not return shall fill their places
With other men, That can do very easily.
believe could do it right here in the city
# New York among Italian laborers who
are not members of the union If needed to.
In addition to these men, of whom there
Are plenty in New York, we have in Mary
land, working for us on the Wabash rail-
road, 1000 negroes, any number or whom
we can bring here to New York. They
are competent men who have worked for us
and worked we'll for long time.
If necessary l will bring these men to
New York, secure the best OF quarters
for them on the negro side OF the town and
put them in the places OF these Italians.
I think they will be able to take good care
OF themselves if they have to. l have at
4 number Of negroes from Maryland, just
the same kind Of men as those ! speak OF.
and thew have remained at work in spite
OF the efforts Of the Italians to get them
out =,
Mr.. Degnon was asked what his time limit
would be and he said that his men would
have to come back within week or take
the consequences. "
The Degnon- Mclean Company Is build
ing the subway from the Battery to the
City Hall including the Post Once loop,
and thence to Great Jones street. II Is
also constructing the section across Forty
second street to Forty-seventh street 1t
was formerly a member Of the Contractors
Association and was party to the agree
ment to submit all labor troubles to arbitra.
ton. The reasons for Its withdrawal
have never been made public. The COM
pany employs 1000 out OF the 1000 Italians
who are on strike.
McNiullen l. Mclean the sub-contractors
for the section including the tunnel under
the Harlem River are also out OF the Con-
tractors Association and are not bound by
the agreement to arbitrate.
1t is obvious that II contractors represent
Ing more than 50 per cent. Of the employers
Of labor on the subway, do not submit to
the decision Of the arbitrating board. the
settlement Of the strike will be as far on
as ever. However, Contractor John b.
Mcdonald and his associates seemed oon-
Adent YESTERDAY afternoon 55 that eVe'S'hl"
Early yesterday morning the commntee
of the Central Federated Union sent WORD
TO Mr. Mcdonald through Secretary BONN
OF the American Federation OF LABOR that
It was coming to talk over the strike ana
Association be appointed to meet 1t.
committee consisting Of John McDonalo'
John c. Rodgers, E. J. Farrell, John Shields
George W. McNulty, John j. Hopper and
Frederick Holbrook, was got together
Two members OF the hockmens any
they didn't know just what 1t was all about,
accompanied the Central Federated Union
committee to the Park Row Building ana
we're present at the conference. Mr.,
Mcdonald acted as spokesman for the
contractors and Herman Robinson VINO
talking for the other side. The delegates
from the union didn't do any talking ana
II was said that they didn't understand
English at all.
Mr.. Mcdonald declared emphatically
that the contractors could not agree 70
any backslding from the agreement OF
June 4. 1901, to submit all subway disputes
to arbitration and he expressed surprise
that the Central Federated Union had
iniorsed strike while this agreement was
still in force The only thing for that
ORGANIZATION to DO, he said. was to express ees
back under the protection OF the agreement
at once.
There was good deal Of argument. but
the sub-contractors stood firm behind Mr..
Mcdonald and the union committee began
to talk arbitration too. 1t wound Up ns
week, when the Central Federated Union
unreservedly Endorsed the strike. and to
have arbitrators settle the entire con-
troversy
For arbtrators, Messrs. Farrell, McNulty
and Holbrook we're named for the con,
FACTORS and for the Centrai Federated
Union, Messrs Pallas. McConville and
Archibald Mr. Mcdonald later issued
this statement:
The proposition is that the. men return to
work on the subway pending arbitration
iHnnediate application be made blythe Ceatra!
and Rockmen's, and Team Drivers unions
into the regular agreement, the same as the
recent application Of the Cable Splicers'
Union
Herman Robinson, the Italians organizer.
was asked il the Italians would return to
work at once. He said:
Certainly not. They are not parties to
the agreement between the Central FEEDER
ated Union and the Contractors Association
at present. Therefore they are not bound
by that agreement. They are memb err
1.-THE Central Federated Union and Will have
an opportunity to come into the agreement.
This can only be done by vote among the
executive committees Of the eleven branches
OF the union. While this voting Ia going on
land it will take forty-eight h ours at least
the men will not go to work. You can pc
sure there will be no work done by the
strikers for two days at least.
The prospect for speedy resumption OF
work all along tho subway, therefore, can
hardly be called good.
-, No disturbances were reported yesterday.
The police were vigilant and In each station
an extra force Of reserves was kept ready
70 60 out instantly in case OF an outbreak.
commissioner Greene said he had taken
ar H,,I ha< In