The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-07-29
TRANSFERS UNIONS OUT Big SIRIkf
BUT GARMENT rIoRkfRS ARE STILL OUT

49,;
terminated, and; declared for the open
shop The committee for the union
then stated that under. Che contracts,
the employers could take no such ac-
tion, but must submit the matter to ar
bitration but this the employers re-
fused to do, saying there; was nothing
to arbitrate." - T.:
Beginning November 18th and last
ing until the 18th the members Of the
Unions were locked out in different
shops and the. question of a general
strike was submitted to d referendum
vote of all Of the menbers Of the un-
ions. Ee:>; )
The general strike was called in, all
the shops belonging to the association,
said strike to take effect November
18th, 1904. About five thousand gar
ment workers went on q strike on the
morning Of November. 18th. OF these
about fifteen hundred have been put
to work in the union shops. Of the city.
about a thousand have left the trade
and the rest are still out.
At the time the general strike was
called Montgomery-Ward- & Co. was
not a member of the National Whole
sale Tailors' association, hut had the
same kind Of a closed shop contract
with the unions. On the morning Of
the general strike the manager in
quired Of the shop stewart whether
or not there would be trouble at Mont
gomery-Ward & Co. and the reply
was mot so long as you live up to
your contract and employ only union
help" The manager said "We don't
want any trouble here, and want to
look over our list Of tailors and II
everything Is not all right, l will at
tend to 1t at once"
Two non-union contractors were en-
ployed by this firm and the manager
agreed to discharge them. The follow
ing week they were stiH employed and
committee from the Union called on
the manager and were assured that the
firm would live UP to it's contract. and
discharge these non union >tailors. He
continued to employ them, however.
The committee made several visits to
see him about it and at. each visit he
assured them Of his intention to live
up to the contract, until the last one,
which took place about December 18th
at which time he stated he would not
discharge anybody at the "dictation"
OF any Union and said: '.Call your men
out, trot along, call your men out!"
Nineteen cutters and abotits three hum
dred tailors then went onsa strike at
Ward and Conpany.
Shortly after the general strike was
called against the Association the 1lli-
moi. state Board of~ArhitAtion offer
ed to try and settle tho nieultxs but
:were turnsd hyz 3
M
willing to have II enn "a dt11t III sssdi6i-s
Guilty Committees from thv Chicago
Federation Of Labor4and the Teamsters'
Unions: at different itines called on the
Employers Association and .Montgom
Ward and Company and attempted
to settle the trouble either by arbitra-
tion or agreement: but the invariable
reply was that there was nothing to
arbitrate."
About March 1, 1905, tho Garment
Workers appealed to the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor, which is the Central
Labor body In Chicago, to take sympa-
thetic action in their behalf and
through the Federation referendum
vote was taken by all the Unions Of
Chicago on the question Of calling a
sympathetic strike by organized labor
against the National Wholesale Tailor4
Association and "levying an assess,
ment to pay the expenses of such: a
strike" Both Of these propositions
were carried almost unanimously. After
the reports were made, that organized
labor would furnish the money to carry
on the strike, the Teamsters unions
agreed by a referendum vote Of the
members, to so on a sympathetic strike
IN aid of the garment workers.
Once more, a committee composed Of
members of the Chicago Federation Of
Labor and the Teamsters, called on
Montgomery Ward and Company, to try
and adjust the difficulty, but nothing
could be done. The Teamsters union
had no contracts with Montgomery
Ward and Company but had contracts
with the Team Owners doing the haul:
ing for the other members Of the EN-
ployers' Association, and therefore CALI
ed a strike on Montgomery Ward and
Company only.
The Transfers contracts are SO word
ed that no teamster is compelled to
deliver or pick UP goods from. strike
bound house. In other words sympa-
thetic strikes, are allowed j. whenever
members of their unions were involved
The express companies ordered their
teamsters to deliver and pick up goods
at Montgomery-Waru & Company and
upon the men refusing to. do SO they
were discharged. The express. compan-
les had no contracts with the union
consequently there were no contracts
violated by either side. .:
The Chicago Employers Association
took up the fight Of the =. National
Wholesale Tailors Association and Of
Montgomery-Ward and Company, who
by this time had Joined the National
Wholesale Tailors' Association, and or
dered oil members. to order the eir team
sters to deliver goods to Montgomery
Ward and Company and upon refusal
to discharge said men. This, in spite
Of the fact that their contracts pro-
vided that the said teamsters were not
to be- compelled. to deliver or pick up
goods from a a#sstrike bound house.
rrh rouuh +ho. acti0n ~ tln Chlco uo ~. .