New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-09
VOTE TO STAY OUT SIX MONTHS.
SUBWAY EXCAV4TORS REFUSE 4RBITRATION-
NEGROES MAY TAKE THEIR PLACES MONDAY
Deadlock May Eight Thousand Bckoers to u-oce hide
ON Coal Cats-TCo Mem Shot.
At ODDS OYER FORENEN
Insist They Shall Not Be
Forced Into Unions.

The tyranny of strikes in the building trades
under which New-York is suffering at present is
likely to be complicated by a deadlock in the
negotiations between the Mason Builders As
sociation and the brcklayers' unions. For about
twenty years the wages and conditions for the
bricklayers have been settled every year by an
arbitration committee composed of members of
the Mason Builders Association and the brick
layers unions
This year deadlock has arisen over a de-
mand of the brcklayers that the foremen must
belong to the union. The Mason Builders AS
soeiation is frm in refusing this demand Its
members say that If the foremen voluntarily
join the union they have no objection, but they
will not sign an agreement providing that the
foremen must join the union. On the other
hand, the representatives, of the bricklayers who
have withdrawn demand for an increase OF
wages from 90 to 20 cents hour. have de-
cided to stand by their demand that all the
foremen must belong to the union. meeting
will be held next week of the joint arbitration
board, and if they cannot agree this point
the first general strike of bricklayers that has
taken place in twenty years may occur.
The Lumber Dealers Association and the
Building Material Dealers Association contin-
ued their meetings yesterday at No. IS Broad
way. It was learned that the lockout in the
lumber yards was decided on at the latter end
of April. and the shutdown TO be com
plete, except in the following cases: Lumber
for export including dunnage grain ceiling
and for cattle racks; packing box lumber, for
delivery to packing box manufacturers; box
lumber for Grating and packing purposes. ex-
cepting to carpenters and builders: picture
backing; all lumber sold and delivered to de-
partments of the city of New-York, State of
New-York or to the Uninted States Govern
all Ir71h deli m md TO no
the construction OF the subway, with the guar
antee of the sub-contractor making the pur-
chase that it will not be used for any other
purpose
Many coal wagon drivers strike yes
terday. which further complicated the situation
They demand higher wages and recognition of
the union. On the East Side there were non
union coal wagon drivers on whose carts, be-
sides the drivers, policemen sat. in order to
prevent any attack by members OF the union
A ]. Robinson. of the A ]. Robinson Com
pany, which have contracted for many large
buildings in the city. said yesterday:
''It Is true that the shutdown in the yards
has stopped work hundreds of buildings.
We are simply watching and waiting. We have
decided to take action. and will give the
unions whose demands have led TO the shutdown
chance of coming TO their senses. The men
who have been thrown idle are the principal
losers. Ihey VIII never get back the money
they losing now"
Among the buildings that have been tied up
through the failure to get structural iron and
other materials the Belmont Hotel Forty
second-st. and Park-ave.; the hotel at
Forty -second-st. and Broadway; the Metropon-
tan Life Insurance Cor1pany's annex, at Twen-
ty-third-st. and FOurth-ave.. and many large
Office buildings.
representative of the Thompson -Starrett
Company said yesterday that they were able to
get along at the Kuhn-Loeb Building. and that
they had enough material hand to finish the
building. but that they had number of build
ings uptown which work completely at
a standstill. Other builders who were seen said
that they inclined wait and give the
unions chance of realizing the mistake they
made
How many men will be affected by the strikes
and shutdown will not be known for few days
If the entire movement extends to Brooklyn IL
may affect 150 600 people. well known con-
tractor said yesterday that movement like this
like throwing a stone into a pond. The
circles spread out and out in the water until no
could tell how far they would reach He
considered it was the worst labor situation that
New-York had ever known.
At the meeting Of the United Board of Build
ing Trades yesterday the first victory for the
dering back of the men on the apartment build
ings in Seventy -fourth-st., between Columbus
ave and Central Park West which are being
erected by the wife of Bishop Potter.
40 MILES TO BUFFALO