Evening star., 1903-07-02
STRIKES ABOLISHED
Arbitration to Settle Differ.
ences in District.
AGREEMENT REACHED
BUILDING TRADES AND EMPLOY
ERS' ASSOCIATION.
Terms Upon Which Labor Troubles
Will Be Hereafter Adjusted
General Satisfaction.
AGREEMENT REACHED

1eneral SATISFACTION.
Strikes and lockouts in the building trades
of the District of Columbia are no more.
and peace and harmony in that section OF
+, the local labor organizations will undoubt-
edly reign for an indefinite period of time.
These gratifying results are assured by the
operation Of an agreement entered into last
evening between the Employers Associa-
ton OF the Building Trades OF the District
Of Columbia and the Council of Allied
Building Trades of the Central Labor
Union, an affiliated body of the American
Federation Of Labor In future all griev-
ances, no matter what may be the bone Of
contention. arising between the employer
and the employe of the building trades will
be submitted to a board of arbitration as
provided for in the agreement referred to.
The provision that there shall be no suspsn.
sion of building operation during the pend
ency of dispute controversy is especial
ly significant.
The establishment of a board of arbitra-
ton in the building trades is regarded by
employers and labor leaders as solving the
great labor problem in the District as 1t Is
in the building trades that more than nine
tenths of the strikes have occurred 1t il
result that has been much desired by the
employers of building trades in many of
the important cities, New York especially,
for many years. Now that ii is an assured
fact here 1t is more than likely .Nat the
New York building employers will proceed
along lines laid down by the local employers
and labor leaders.
First Steps Taken.
The first step looking to the establishment
of a board of arbitration was taken April
% of last year, when the employers asso-
citation was perfected. with Mr.. James L.
Parsons Of the Master Builders Association
as president, and Mr.. E. C. Graham of the
Master Electrical Workers. The promoters
of the arbitration idea met with almost in
surmounable obstacles, but finally the plan
of action was agreed upon in the employers
association, and the cooperation of Presa-
dent Samuel Gompers of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor was sought March IS last
a letter was addressed to President Comp
ers, to the effect that the association, COM
posed of the employers of the building
trades, find that practically all trades arc
confronted with a controversy concerning
new agreements with labor affiliated with
your organization. Past experience DEM
onstrates that 1t is impossible under tho
present system to settle all such differences
without resorting to measures that bring
financial losses to both the employer and
employe and the public generally. After
giving this matter much consideration and
thought, the letter stated, 1t was believed
that these differences can best be settled
satisfactorily to those concerned by submit
ting all questions Of working conditions be-
tween employer and employe to joint con-
Citation committees.
with this in view," the letter continued,
I'VE desire and request that you will lend
your services by cooperating with us
through the proper channels to attain this
result"
President Gompers Acts.
This letter was accompanied by forms OF
agreement for the establishment of arbi-
tration and conciliation between employer
and employe. President Gompers held a
conference with a committee of the asso-
citation, during which, speaking in a gem
eral sense, he declared himself In favor Of
the proposition and assured the employers
that he would have the Central Labor
Union take up the matter
The Central Labor Union was communf-
Gated with. In due time a letter. signed by
the secretary of the Council of Allied Build
ing Trades of the Central Labor Union. and
under date of April IA, was received by tho
employers, in which a conference was
ranged for Friday evening, April "a to con-
slider the agreement and use IT as a basis
for forming an agreement between the
labor union and the employers association
The conference of the parties involved was
held. Dating from this conference tie
progress was steady.
The board of arbitration provided for IN
the agreement which appears below ta
composed of ten members, each body repre-
sented by five members, the ten thus consti-
tuted to choose the eleventh, umpire
and a disinterested party, when deemed
Necessary. The employers are represented
on the board by Messrs w. E. Spier. E. c.
Graham, Thomas Egan, E. j. Hannah and
F. E. Smith, while the members represent
ing the Council of Allied Building Trades
of the Central Labor Union are: MessrA
Stevens, c. w. Winslow. George A. Malone.
Eugene NJ. Van Ness and E. J. Ratigan.
The board of arbitration having been es-
<.I,h ha1a &c <nf el<
ployers association to enter into concinA-
ton agreements with the individual trades
unions Such agreements have already
been drawn up with the steam filters and
the electrical workers.
Terms Of Agreement.
The agreement entered into provides thae
'this beard shall consist of ten members.
equally divided between the associations
represented. The members of the board
shall be elected annually by their respect
i've associations at theiy regular meetings
for the election Of officers. Whenever any
matter Is referred to the board by either
of the parties forming concihation COM
mittee representing building trade in tho
District of Columbia and before consider
ing the case. they, the board, shall agree
upon an umpire, and the umpire thus
chosen must not be connected with tho
building trade; he may act presiding
officer and shall have the casting vote. a.
provided In rule 8: that the duty of this
board shall De TO COn6lQer Such matters OK
mutual interest and concern to the employ
ers and the workmen as may be regularly
referred to 1t by either of the parties con-
cerned. transmitting its conclusions there
on to each association concerned for H1
government; that special meetings shall
be held when either of the parties hereto
desires to submit any question to the board
for settlement; that for the proper conduct
of business, a chairman shall be chosen at
each meeting, but he shall preside only for
the meeting at which he is chosen; that .
ajority vote shall decide all questions:
that three members of the board represent
ing each party hereto shall constitute .
quorum, and in case shall any matter
be considered with an unequal representa-
tion."
Should any member be directly interested
in a matter to be considered he shall NOT
be eligible to serve the case. and tho
president of the association he represents
shall appoint substitute In his place In
case of the absence or inability OF any
the president Of the association
by which he was appointed shall have tha
right to appoint substitute In his place.
The umpire shall have casting vote in caaa