The Washington times., 1905-03-25

On all new construction work begun
hereafter In the National Capital brick
layers will receive S. a day instead Of
$3.50 for eight hours, or SO much a thou
sand for brick laid. This decision was
reached at informal conferences in sew
eral cases today.
The agreement, which caused so much
feeling among the larger contractors,
was not to have gone into effect until
May 1, but for several trade reasons the
Inaster bTicklayeVs have decided to pay
the new scale on all work not already
contracted for. On the old work, how
ever, the new scale must be paid after
May l, which means that unless there Is
a general yielding on the part of the
men who are now doing the vast amount
of construction work about Washington,
trouble may ensue.
A Strong Organization
The union of Ioricklayers is one of the
strongest in the United States. and its
officers say they are able to enforce any
agreement they may have made with
the Master Bricklayers' Association.
The change in wages will add one
ninth to the cost OF all work now going
on.
Contractors and builders allege that
the increase Will work hardship upon
them, and will tend toward curtailins the
growth of Washington, which has been
going on at rate greater than any
other city in the United States. In re-
ply to this charge, the master brickay-
ers say they will now have labor on an
equitable basis for all concerned. That
there will be no difference in wages in
various parts of the District, as well
as in hours. That piece work will end,
and all troubles OF the past will be
so ended that master bricklayers can
figure with certainty on work for the
future.
End Of Tie-Ups.
There can be no more te-upS under
the agreement, and when they contract
to complete a structure in q given time
they know now that they can do so,
the anti-strike clause making trouble
between the masters and jouTneymen
impossible
The iourneymen, finally satisfied, say
they are sure of all the work they
! want, at wages similar to those paid in
other cities Of the United States, and
with an eight-hour day.
AS the agreement stands, 1t is an iron
bound contract similar to that in force
in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and
the other larger cities. It is very likely
to cause the independent master brick
layer who uses any but union labor, all
kinds of trouble, If it does not put him
entirely out of business. The Washing
ton men who lay the BRICK and the men
who make the contracts, now in
reality in a powerful partnership. One
side will employ no non-union labor,
will guarantee shorter hours, pay higher
wages, and grant several minor de-
mands, and the other side will make 1t
impossible for any independent to cres
ate trouble with cheap non-union labor.
Some 300 at Capital.
There are regularly resident in Wash
but there are hundreds more living In
the small towns all around the Capital
and in Maryland and Virginia, who
come here for employment In the sum-
mer, returning home when work quits
in the fall.
One estimate gives the union forces
during the summer at about 5000. In ad-
dition to the union men there are said
to be several hundred nom union colored
men and foreigners in and about the
city who do odd jobs and many of whom
are at work for the United States Gov
ernment. These men, under the agree
ment, are eliminated from the Washing
ton labor field, except such as are pro-
tected by the United States Government
as in the case of the colored man now
| Wcrking on the War College at the
Arsenal, where the United States engi-
Continued on Second Pagel