Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-05-18
BOSSES TAKE FIRM STAND
Give Striking Carpenters Zone Week
in which to Remove Tools


in Which to Remove Tools
The Master Builders association
met last night and after session
lasting for over three hours during
which every phase of the strike situa-
ton was discussed, took the bit in
their teeth and decided to make
firm stand for open shops with the
carpenters. The attitude of the as
ISOLATION is summed up in the follow
ing resolution, which was passed
unanimously:
"All men now on strike, who at the
beginning of said strike, were in the
Employ of any member of the local
branch of the Interstate Builders,
Contractors & Dealers association, are
hereby notified that unless they ap-
ply for their old positions individually
DR. remove their tools and belongings
from the property of said employers
within one week, said tools and be-
ongings will be removed to public
Itorage at the expense of the owners.
copy of the above will be sent to
zach man now on strike. Employers
will proceed at once to fill all va
cancies occasioned by said strike, and
no discrimination will be made be-
tween union and non-union men in
filing said vacancies"
One of the bosses told Democrat
reporter that the action taken last
night was final and that the weeks
time allowed for the men
to take away their tools
was given in order that nobody could
say he had been treated in an arbi-
trary manner. "Some time ago." he
added, 1--WE felt obliged to counsel our
fn 90 fr1fn he nrA
trouble, but we feel that all this is
over and now we want to give these
men and as many others as care to
avail themselves, of the opportunity,
ample time to think the matter over
and return to work. l am not aware
of a movement looking towards the
reduction of wages or increasing the
number of hours man shall put in
for days work. 1t is simply a
stand taken by employers of labor in
defense Of the right of men to work
whether they belong to a UNION or
not. This is just what it means and
there is nothing else back of it.
feel for some of our men who are out
and want to come back, but think
they will lose their standing among
their fellow laborers if they do So
1t is natural feeling, too, but they
will shake it off in time. 1t is not
like undermining ones neighbor and
throwing him out bf job to get his
place. | hope the carpenters will look
at it In common sense way and con-
slider the interests of themselves and
their wives and children before decid-
Ing to leave town or remain here to
Idle about for the summer
The carpenters appear in no way
dismayed by the action of the bosses
and manifest no signs whatever of
yielding. On the contrary they are
more resolute to-day than ever and
state that they have made uO their
minds not to surrender come what
may. Business Agent Smith was busy
this forenoon making out credentials
Tor another batch of men that left this
afternoon for New Haven. Others are
going to New York and applications
have been received for carpenters
from various other cities. The strike |
has been Endorsed by the national or
gan1zation and as many of the men as |
do not care to leave Waterbury will be
put on the pay roll A dozen or more
Df the men are talking of forming a |
joint stock corporation and becoming
contractors themselves. They say that
there can be no question about their
comes. In this way they would be
able to furnish employment for them
selves and many others. The men
nave no fear Of the threat to food the
town with carpenters from other
cities. They claim that the craft is
thoroughly organized all over the
country, and that there is not q COM
petent workman in New England ont
side the organization.
The action taken by the bosses has
nothing to do with the bricklayers.
because 1T is said that the brickIayers
and masons have no afiliation with
other crafts and will work no matter
who plays, so dong as their own rights
are not invaded. An erroneous i'm
preston got around this morning to
the effect that the action of the bosses
meant that the time in which the men
on strike could return and find their
posltlons awaiting them had been ex-
Lended another week. This is not SO.
Ar means what it says, that the bosses
VIII proceed Immediately to fill the
places OF the men, and the reference
to putting their tools in a storehouse
Is intended to inform the men that I'M
less they take them away before that
time the bosses will he Responsible
Tor them no longer. To be sure, men
who have found employment else
where have already removed their
TOOLS and it is quite likely that every
carpenter who does not intend to do
business at the old stand very soon
VIII do his own moving within the
LINE unit So far as can be learned
iii the contractors would be nIaasad
20 nave every man now out retu1rn to
me position he held before the trouble
started but il the help refuse f. 40
This the bosses are bound TO fill tbeir
places and if they cannot do this thew
say that so much of their work AZ Is
tert standing will be allowed to run
hiong until they can get to it.