Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-12-23
DIFFERENCES y. -. ED
HOOKER, CoRsER & MITCHELL
co. MAY SHUT DOWN
Unless Demands Of the Garment
Workers Association are Modified
Cannot Afford to Pay Prices In New
Schedule-Time Up Jan. 10.

Unless the differences between the
Hooker Corser & Mitchell overall
company and the local branch of the
national association OF garment work.
ers can be settled before January 10
the Flat street factory which employs
at present about 200 hands, will be
shut down for an indefinite period or
conducted on the open shop princi-
pie. The Hooker, Corser & Mitchell
company has refused absolutely to
sign the new schedule of wages, which
was presented several weeks ago by
Miss Lillian Fredericks, representa-
tive of the executive committee of the
national garment workers association,
and which calls for an advance Of
about 20 per cent in the firms pay
roll. The members of the firm say
that such an advance would mean
between $4,000 and $4,000 more wag-
es In the course of year, and that
they cannot pay this amount in ex-
cess of what they have been paying
and still do business at profit w,
Fl. Corser and w. H. Proctor went to
New York City Monday to attend q
meeting of the overall manufacturers
association, and on Tuesday they laid
the matter before the president Of the
national garment workers association
In the hope that a satisfactory adjust
ment of the matter may be reached
Thus far nothing further has been
heard.
| A variety of explanations are given
for the big advance in wages demanded
for the coming year, and most Of the
union factories in New England feel
that they are unable to pay the
amounts asked for. Members Of the
local union say that the national as
sociation is attempting to raise wages
in all factories to a uniform amount
on the basis of what is known as the
Chicago SCALE and that the local
union was not allowed to say what
changes should be made in the new
schedule w. H. Proctor, on the other
hand, is Of the opinion that the advan-
ces demanded came direct from the
local union, Miss Fredericks simply
acting as its mouth piece. However \
this may be. there is no doubt that
the Hooker, Corser & Mitchell COM
pany cannot do business under the
conditions of the new schedule, and If
a satisfactory adjustment cannot be
reached it is probable that the factory
will be conducted as an open shop.
If this is done the use of the union
label will have to be forfeited, and =
wages probably reduced materially. =
The Brattleboro overall company
last week signed the schedule which
was presented by Miss Fredericks, and
VIII continue 10 run dS union SnOp
for another year at least. Its sched-
lle however, differed from that pre-
sented to the other local concern in
hat the advances demanded were not
so large. 1t is said that this difference
s due principally to three reasons;
he team work" system under which
he Brattleboro overall factory is OPP
rated, the use of Union Special
II double stitch machines on portions
# the work, and the fact that the
olding, buttoning and button -holing is
one by the piece instead of by the
ay. At a Lebanon, N. H., factory in
which the system is the same as in
he Brattleboro overall factory, the
chedule called for an advance even
reater than at the Hooker, Corser &
Iitchell shop, but this is alleged to be
ue to the fact that the proprietor
fixed' the auditor of the national
workers association last year
nd got his schedule on a much lower
asis than any other concern in this
action.
The Hooker, Corser & Mitchell fac
,ry closes tomorrow for the holidays.
he concern at present employs 1877
arsons, 1872 piece workers and 35 day
np1oyeS.