The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24
LOOK AT THIS STRIKE LIST.
REMARKABLE RECORD IN THIS
BUILDING SEASON.
One Strike Has Followed on the Heels or
Another. Completely ParaIyzinE tho
Iniustry--NIany OF the Demands Made
Other Than for Increased Wages.

Another. Completely ParaiyHng tn(
Industry--NIany OF the Demands Mad.
Other Than for Increased Wages
'- The epidemic Of strikes which he's char
scterised the building se son this. year
was not anticip ted by most contractors
The best 1ossel man in the Bolrd OF
Building Trades thought. with the con-
tractors, that whatever strikes occurred
would he insign fcant, es work WIS to be
plentiful and there was disposition on the
psrt Of employers to meet their employees
half WY.
The first strike Of any size WIS that OF the
Brotherhood Of Boilerm ,kers end Iron
Shippuluers in the Townsend-Downey
yards at Shooters Island, followed by a
general strike Of the other trades and
symp thetic strike in the other y, .rds.
Like most OF the present strikes 1t was
caused, not by refus. ! Of dem nd for en-
increase of wages. but by q refus i OF de-
minds for into e-Gble conditions which
would hsSe placed the yards virtually at
the mercy Of the unions.
This strike was settled by the unions
giving up practically all they asked for,
except an increase Of wa res, which der and
was settled by compro Mise. DEMAND
that none but union men be employed and
that a sympathetic strike should not 10
regarded as a violation OF the agreement
which the employers were asked to sign
were rejected.
Shortly after the holsting engineers en-
ployei by the American Bird .e Company
went on strike to force deman nd that they
be paid whether they worked or not, as long
AS the no sting arp ratus was in a building.
Up to that ii ne the hosting engineers had
been paid in many cas- es after it was found
more convenient to host building materials
in the frei hit eleys tors, which the hosting
engineers. could net Tun: In such CT ses
the elevator constructors who carried up
the material were paid for theirwork nd tie
hosting engineers were paid for looking on.
Ibis strike threw tie structural hon
workers idle, and when tie ocnrry rut
men to hoist freight with ha nG-winCers
on several buildings the iron workers vert
on strike. Later more iron workers struck
against the company because it would not
force foremen to join the union.
In the mean tine the structural iron
workers struck against tie company in
Pittsburg. Phils delph;a end half dozen
otler cities on g ccount of alleged violations
Of some petty union rules. In week or
Two all the structural iron workers in tl.is
lily went on strike in sympathy.
These strikes continued to spread. not
withstanding the fact that all the locals OF
the International Association Of Bridge and
Structural Iron Workers had formulated
demands for May ] which were submitted
TO all the structural iron manufact urers
and contractors who, in the me aDtime.
had organized as the National Association
OF Bridge and Structural Iron Manufact-
urers and Erec,ors.
The strike of the structural iron workers
tied up all work pD buildings which had not
passed the stage where the iron workers
we.s no longer needed. After many con-
ferences a settlement OF the strike against
the American Bridge Company was reached,
and an agreement for year WIS entered
into between the local unions, Of structural
iron workers throughout the country and
their empltterss
In this settlement an Increase OF wages
was granted, but the local unions gave up
a nurhbdr.ol; objectionable demands which
After tn, strike Of the structural iron
workers started, the brotherhood Of Car
penters, without warning, welt on strike
81 the Amalg amated Association Of Car
painters were employed. In all, about
10000 carpenters In this city struck, throw
ing idle about $4,000 or 10000 other me-
chanics who's. work IN buildings depends
on that of thu carpenters.
The object Of the Brotherhood. which 10
a n tioncl orgs rization, with local brf inches
in every lrrae city end q total membership
Of about 5000. WIS to force the Ana ga
mated Association of Carpenters, rival
the Brotherhood, The Brotherhood VT sue
cessf,l rbout eight years ago In bre' king
up the New York City, Carpenters Union,
q local oSRr nizs ton, by a succession Of
strikes lasting eighteen months.
1t 40 hr prers th't, the Amalgamnte ted
Association Of Carpenters is represented In
the Bo1rd Of Building Trades, which decided
10 take up it's cause. The brotherhood
then extended the strikes to the contrt cts
In other cities of the Georgia.: Fuller Com:
prny, the Thompson-StarrettC Comp; ny end
several other firms of contrf ctors which
have contrr cts In cities outside OF New
York. This W. 3 in VOL ton Of greements
m dexIh these firms. Owing to the sur port
Of the Boz I'd OF Building Trr des, with which
tors Is effllia ted, the Analgom mated society
hrs held its own 8 far Is this city lie con-
cerned nd Brotherhood men have In some
c. see Joined it when they. bec.me tired of
the strike. The strike is still on. The
70 get into the Bo'rd Of Building Trades.
but o. 6f hak bten :uhsuccessful
The plssters' laborers have since gone on
stFf1ee. i-9hey demanded $3.50 a day, which
Was, grsnted by the Master .Plasterers'
Association. The plasterers' iaborers then
decided to make more demands. They
were willing to take 81 so day, but said
they 'wodld NOT sign the usual yearly agree
rnent and the belief is that they intend to
deIrand another rdvance.
The Tee INST ers Union was then organized
and made general demands for higher
yages and recognition Of the union. The
Building Material Drivers were also or
eapixed End Omitted to the Board Of Build
ing Trades, which Endorsed demands by the
Building Material Drivers for new wage
sccle and recognition Of the union.
The team drivers went on strike and
there was general shut down in the !um-
her yards, which will last until they with
draw their demands.
"A shutdown in the yards Of the Building
Mr. terial sDea leis Association followed in
order 70 head of general strike Of the
drivers. II IA agreed by the lumber dealers,
building material dealers and the building
trade generally thst II the Team Drivers
and Building Nj terial Drivers' unions
were recognized. 1t would leave no loop
hole to- escape union domination and would
leave the entike building trade at the mercy
or the walking delegates.
While the strike fever, was at It's height
the Italian Rockmcn's and Excavators'
Union was organized, 22,0O strong. The