The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-08
$1,000 CARPENTERS ON STRIKE.
TYING UP EVERY BIG BUILDING
TO CRUSH A RIVAL UNION.


mand OF the Brotherhood and Employ
Only Its Members Left In the Lurch
Agreements Only waste Paper-what
viii the Building Trades Board Dor
The members Of the United Brotherhood
Of Carpenters and joiner in Manhattan.
numbering about 1000 men, suddenly went
on strike yesterday, with the result that
work on II the large buildings In course
Of construction is tied up completely OF
seriously interiered with.
Not the eighties. indication that there
would be a strike had been seen. The nrst
animation the contractors had OF the action
Of the brotherhood was when the walking
delegates came around about noon yeeter-
dav and began to call the men away from
work Some men were allowed to work
until o'clock but by 8 o'clock this morning
he strike will be in full effect
This strike is not the outcome OF any
difference with the employers. but Is a night
between rival labor unions. Besides the
United Brotherhood OF Carpenters ana
,Ioiners which is the principal organization
4 carpenters in this city, there Is the Anal
gamated Society OF Carpenters and Joiners'
which is said to have about 1000 members
at work here. The brotherhood. by means
of this strike. is striving to crush its weaker
rival and force its members into It's own
ranks.
Another peculiar feature OF the situation
that the brotherhood Ia not backed by
the other trades unions In this city II
doesn't belong TO the Board OF Building
Trades The Amalgamated society Ii
member Of this board. The board Is con-
sdered TO be the strongest labor organiza-
ton in this country and the question as to
what il will do about the attack on one OF
It's affiliated unions Is interesting great
many people.
The George A. Fuller Company. formerly
the Fuller Construction Company, Is one OF
the principal concerns affected by the
strike When the news was received the
officers Of the company got In communica-
ton with some Of the officers Of the brother
hood The union officers informed them
that there was no grievance at all against
the Fuller company. The strike had been
ordered Yesterday because members OF the
Analgamated society were employed on
certain jobs in this city. they said, and the
brotherhood proposed TO make II Impossible
for an Amalgamated carpenter 10 work IN
Ex-Judge Samuel p Mcconnell. president
OF the Fuller company. said
Ibis strike lB Inc nOet pfo-
ceeding we have heard Of since We have
had dealings with labor unions. We en-
ploy none but brotherhood carpenters,
vet we will have to suffer because some
ether people employ Amalgamated car
penters. More than that, we have solemn
agreement with the brotherhood designed
10 protect US against strikes, especially
such sudden and unlooked-for strikes as
this. Our agreement was made last Sep.
s%bsT Il n 70. .nouS a. b. submitted 70
arbitration-a board Of ten arbitrators.
FIVE to be selected by each side. Because
Of this agreement We advanced the wages
of our oaIPenteT from = TO 20 a DAY:
ment With . labor union Is not worth the
paper II u written on.
When asked what the company proposed
to do. President Mcconnell said that they
ing brotherhood carpenters with Amalga-
mated carpenters as soon as possible. he
believed, he said, that II the Amalgamated
society was unable to furnish sufficient men
the company would be perfectly justified
In hiring non-union men.
The company felt that under the cir
cumstances the Board Of Building Trades
would sanction such action.
Mr.. Mcconnell seemed to realize the
serious import OF this latter statement.
result Of which he could not predict.
-Carpenters,' he said ARE az necessary
as nails in all building operations We
have about four hundred OF them at work
oil the time"
The Fuller company has nine large build
ings now in course Of construction. 1t Is
estimated that there are about one hum
dred large buildings altogether now being
erected in New York which will be affected
Custom House. the Whitehall Building
in Battery place. the new Stock Exchange
the Hanover Bank building. the Blair
Building. the Kuhn-Loeb building. the
Bayard Building. a new building at ~
the New Amsterdam Theatre, the new
,-or Hotel, the Bank Of the Metropolis.
The new Hotel Belmont, the Hotel 81. Regis,
the new building on the site Of the old Hotel
~ Cloud and the knickerbocaer Trust
Among the lergest construction COM
rarss affected are the Ivy Court Company.
Hidden a Co. NJ Eidlitz Sons. Charles
] Wiz & Wills Bros, and the Thompson
Starrett Company. This last company Is
Mid TO be the only concern which has an
agreement with the Brotherhood of Car
pen'ers similar 10 that entered into by the
Fuller company.
The United Brotherhood OF Carpenters
and Joners Ia a national organization with
headquarters In Philadelphia and II has about
10000 members. II has eight or ten local
unions here with an aggre gate membership
Of something less than 10000. The Amalga;,
union a. far as the United States Is con-
cerned. II has a branch in this city (the
only one on this side Of the Atlantic) with Q
membership OF 1000. but 1t Us rally an
International organization with headquarters
In Manchester, England.
Both organizations are affiliated with the
American Federation Of Labor. which has
made several Intellectual attempts to settle
the feud between them. The Board OF
Building Trades has also made repeated
attempts 10 settle the trouble. but the
Httherhood Of Carpenters, when the last
attempt Of the kind was made. declared
Ms intention OF wiping the Amalgamated
society out OF existence. All negotiations
were then stopped. The Amalgamated
society permits It's members to work with
brotherhood men. The wages are the
zane
Several general strikes have recently
been trdered by the Beard Of Building
Trades 10 force the recognition OF members
OF the Amalgamated society. Such a
suike is at present In progress on a row Of
houses in Seventy-fourth street between
Lghth and Columbus avenues. The
orotherhood cannot supply all OF the men
needed In this city nor can the Amalga-
mated society.