The sun., 1904-05-05
SHlpYARD STRIKE OF 7,000.
THE FIRST STRUGGLE FOR THE
"OPEN SHOP" HAS REGJN.
Every Yard In and Near New York AHected
Except One in Brooklyn--Work on Two
GunbOats NJ Morris Heights stopped
Employers Firm, Against the Unions.

The first big strike in this city on the
plain issue of open versus closed shops be-
gan yesterday morning, all the members
of the Brotherhood of Boilermakers and
Iron Shipbuiders in the city and Its vicinity
quitting work in opposition to the open
shop ultimatum of the New York Metal
Trades Association. The strike ties up all
the shipyards here as far as the boiler
makers are concerned, and equally affects
Hoboken. Jersey City and Elizabethport.
The yards of the Lidgerwood Manufac-
turing Company Of Brooklyn, an association
firm employing only nonunion men. We're
not affected.
The strike was ordered at midnight ses-
sion of the boilermakers held on Tuesday
night in Military Hall ON the Bowery. The
meeting lasted until early morning. About
5000 boilermakers quit work. Their
helpers. 1000 in number. though they had
made no demands. struck in sympathy.
A well attended meeting OF the New
York Metal Trades Association was held
late yesterday afternoon at 2O3 Broadway.
Wallace Downey Of the Townsend-Downey
Shipbuilding Company presiding. By a
unanimous vote the open shop declaration
OF the committee which conferred with the
boilermakers on Tuesday was indorsed.
Henry c. Hunter, secretary OF the associ-
alton. said after the meeting:
THE open shop existed in the yards
under last years agreement, though the
agreement was made with the union. Not
a word was mentioned in the agreement
about the employment OF union men.
This time the boilermakers made it the
issue. The open shop will now always
rule in the shipyards. II the strikers come
back il must be as individuals, We will
not discriminate against either union or
nonunion men, but we will make no other
agreements with unions. The employers
are firm in standing by the open shop from
this time on.
The blacksmiths have an agreement with
the association which does not expire until
September. When the machinists struck
last time the blacksmiths refused to violate
this agreement by quitting work III SYM
pathy a meeting Of the Marine Trades
Council. representing all the unions III the
marine trades, will be held Tonight, but
the boilermakers say they will not ask for
a sympathetic strike, ut east not NOW.
francis j. Mckay, business agent of the
Brotherhood of Boilermakers. admitted
yesterday that trade was slow at present
but said it had been improving III the ship
yards recently. The issue, re said, was
an important one, however. and Involved
Among the yards and shops. affected
are the Nixon shipyards, Elizabethport;
the Seabury yards, at Morris Heights;
Townsend d Downey, on Shooter Island;
the Burlee Dry Dock Company, on Staten
Island; the James Reilly repair shops, in
Manhattan and Jersey City W. II. Fletcher
of Hoboken the Ross Iron Works, the Raab
Iron Works, Hall L. Hurlbert and Townsend
4 Osberg's yards in Brooklyn and Ross
Duffys yards in this borough.
At the consolidated yards Of the Gas
Engine l. Power Company and Charles l..
Seapury 4 Co., at Morris Heights, 800 men
we mt out. Many Of these were at work
on two United States Government gun
boats now under construction at the yards.