Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-01
MORE COMPLICATIONS ARISE
The New Agreement Knocked
 in Head by Strike.

It Was to Go Into Effect May l. 1 Strike Over Reference Card Will | Necessitate the Making of Another One-Nothing New in Local Situa-
 tion To-day.
 1 There is nothing new to report today
 in the strike of the carpenters and
 joiners, except, perhaps that the agree
 ment which was to go into effect today
 between the master builders and car
 penters is off and a new contract will
 have to be signed before the trouble is
 over. Business Agent Smith said to-
 day the agreement signed by the union
 and the bosses had not been compiled
 with by the employers and that so fars l as he knew it was now void and noth- 1 ing would be done i'll the carpentry
 line until after both sides had got to-
 gether and agreed upon something else
 He said he was much pleased to be able
 to state that the suspension of work in
 the building business which is now
 causing so much unfavorable comment
 in Waterbury could not be laid at the
 door of the carpenters and joiners, and
 added that he hoped the parties respon-
 sible for it would soon see their error
 and hasten to make amends for it and
 let the wheels of progress start up l again.
 One of the bosses said he expected
 that the council of the Interstate
 Builders association will hold meet
 ing in the early part of next week and
 do something which will bring about a
 settlement. He declared that it was
 absolutely necessary for the good of
 everybody to put stop to strikes until
 after every other remedy had been
 tried. He was of the opinion that it
 would be well to have the card matter
 and everything else that the men and the bosses cannot come to an under
 standing about among themselves re- ferred to an arbitration committee and
 in the meantime let the men keep on
 working, and in this way the public I won't suffer "The man that strikes"
 he said, may be all right provided he
 belongs to an organization that stands
 behind him, but how about those who
 have to shift for themselves and who
 are idle because some one else refuses
 to work? l never remember the time
 when there was more to be done in our
 line and less going on. How long do
 you suppose things can last that way?
 several of the factories want to build
 additions to their plants so as to keep
 abreast of the times, but they can't do
 1t. Did you ever stop to consider what
 this means? 1t is not merely a uues-
 ton as to how 1t affects the bosses and
 the men. 1t means that large num-
 bers of people would be able to find
 employment here next fall who will ] nave to stand around and live upon
 their friends or try their luck some
 place else. It will also have the grand } llst less than 1t ought to be with the
 result that the burden of taxation will be heavier than it would be if the value or these and other buildings could be added to 1t so that this business of stop ping building, especially at this sea- son hits everybody and probably no. body feels it more keenly than the man who Is In no way responsible for It.
 Asked why the bosses didn't stand Dy their contract with the contractors instead of trying to tack sometime onto 1t after 1t had been signed he said
 he was not dealing with that question 3 What he wanted to make plain was that In case anything happens that the , men think Is not right, they should ex 3 haust every means at their disposal tt , get what they believe they ought te nave before quitting work, and If they 8 Iall, then go out as last resort. Ht e refused to state whether he though v the bosses should have acquainted tn, t men about the cards before askins I them to use them, but said he had nt @ hesitation in stating that the nier would have better ground to stand upol |. if they had tried them and kicked afte
 they could show that they were work ing to their disadvantage.
 Whatever way the strike turns out
 it Is certain that many builders clain s that the boss carpenters forced thi l. strike upon the people and that 1t i n up to them to straighten out the tangle t The lumber men are in the worst bo1 n of all. They got into the corner with n out seeing where they were going ant now they are in quandary to find way out. The boss carpenters got int J. hole, and got out by playing tn z game of the fox and the goat wit f the lumber men. 1t seems they signe, <, the contract without making provision x for the reference card. Then the stat '. association got after them and the onl es way they could save their necks wa u by closing the lumber yards. The 6 did it, and now the lumber men ar / wondering how they allowed them Y selves to be inveigled into the pit. Il The officers of the Carpenters an' Il ,Toiners' union were formally rotifie, Q, to-day by the executive body that thei 's strike against the refence card Ina |, been indorsed and that they shall hay IS all the financial backino they need