New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-14
TEE-UP SUBWAY THREAT.
UNIONS VIOLHTE PLEDGE.
Al to Quit If Poper House Men,
Non-Union, Work.

Another subway tieup is threatened unless
by noon to-day non-union men employed by
firms outside of New-York to put in the equip
raent at the West Fifty-ninth-st. power house
Of the company are discharged There are FIVE
or six of these firms the largest Of which is the
disclaimers company. Of Cleveland. which
fought the last general strike of the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists throughout the
country for the nne-hour workday for over a
year. Since then it has employed non-unon
men.
There has been a great deal of i'll feeling
among the unions OF skilled trades for some time
at this power house over the employment of
these non-union men. II eliminated, it was
stated yesterday. by the unions in nearly a dozen
skilled trades whose members are employed at
the power house informing the contractors
for the subway who employed their members
that IL the non-union men were not discharged
before noon to-day work at the power house
would be tied up and the strike extended to all
the subway.
Previous to this there was a strike by fifty
union tile layers employed by the Manhattan
Glass Tile Company in the subway station at
Eighteenth-st and Fourth-ave. against the en-
ployment of four non-union men. President s.
B. Dewsnap OF the company said that the
strike was violation of the arbitration agree
ciation Of which the company is a member.
and which the Tile Layers Union had signed.
At the Building Trades Club II was stated that
MiIliken Brothers are the only members OF the
Employers Association who doing work at
the Fifty-ninth-st power house. where they en-
ploy members OF the new housesmiths organi-
cation It was stated on behalf OF the firm that
1t expected its employees to observe the arbi-
tration agreement and refrain from striking
Word Of the ultimatum of the skilled trades
to-day reached the Building Trades Club, but no
would discuss it.
good deal Of the work along the subway is
completed. and altogether the strike programme,
If IL is carried on will involve about three
thousand men. The contractors are in a hurry
to get the subway completed and any delay
however short, is looked a serious thing
at present. The strike would be a violation OF
the agreement between the Central Federated
Union and the Rapid Transit Contractors Asso-
citation. By this agreement before anything else
is done, all differences and disputes are referred
TO joint arbitration board Of subway contrac-
tors and the Central Federated Union Rapid
Transit Committee, of which John J. PaIIas is
president until his successor is appointed.
John D. Mcdonald. general contractor for tho
subway, saio that no complaints had been made
to him. and he had not been officially informed
Of any impending trouble
president Dewsnap OF the Manhattan Glass
Tile Company said the four iron union men were
specialists who showed the tile layers how to
use patent cemen. the company adopted He
granted all other demands. and explained to
William II. Farley, business agent of the tile
layers before the strike that these men had no
union At the last meeting of the arbitration
board Of the Employers Association, which
Farley attended he failed to mention this
strike