Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-07
PURPOSE OF LOCKOUT


Master plumbers deny the published state
ment that they have set Monday or any
other day as the time limit when the jour
iieymen will be allowed to resume their
work, or that unless they do 50 by the day
mentioned the open shop will be declared.
This fight on the part OF the Plumbers.
Unlon. said prominent member of the
Master Plumbers Association to a Star re-
porter this afternoon. rs being waged
against the helpers rather than against the
employers. The journeymen regard the
helpers as menace to them and have de-
ctded, We understand. that they must be
eliminated from the business. Under the
original contract entered into between the
masters and the journeymen the helpers
were allowed to handle tools, but the MEM
beers of the Plumbers Union now deny them
this privilege. This action forms one of our
most important grievances. We want the
union to live up to the contract 1t has made
with us by allowing helpers to use tools
when necessary. This contract was signed
by both parties supposedly in good faith.
ana II the journeymen will live up to 1t this
contention will cease and harmonious rela-
tons will again exist between employer and
employe. There Is no question as to wages
or the hours of labor or any other matter.
The master plumber also said that a
boy has to serve a certain length OF time
as helper before he can become an APP
prentice and learn the trade. but as the
DOCKS OF the boys union are closed, no
helper can be employed unless his name Is
entered such books For instance, In
the event that an employer has use for an
additional helper he must apply to the
union for such boy. If there is not an idle
helper available to the union, then the en-
ployer has to do without one.
Regarded as Probable Result.
"The result of the system proposed by
the union. If carried OUT said the en-
ployer. will be that in five years there viii
be no helpers or apprentices either. Some
time ago the union of apprentices adopted
a rule which prohibited boy from riding
a bicycle during working hours That Is,
II boy was helping on a job that
was one mile or more from the shop and
1t was necessary to return to the shop for
a fitting, he must do so on foot, so more
time could be Killed Journeymen plumb
ers are not allowed to use wheels during
working hours. either in going to or from
the places they are working. Should they
DO so they are subjected to a heavy fine.
They claim this rule adopted to pro-
tect the older men who cannot ride bicycles
against the younger men who can.
Will say In conclusion said the mas
ter plumber. that this fight on the part of
the 1ourneymen Is being waged against
the Plumbers Union have declared that the
helpers must go. cost what it may. I
claim that the plumbers are deIuding the
helpers in this matter"
1t is announced that the Helpers Union
will meet tonight to consider the helpers
status In the present lockout.
Denial by Journeymen.
Officers of the Journeymen Plumbers
Union this afternoon denied that they were
making fight for the purpose Of driving
the helpers out of the plumbing trade
We are simply seeking to regulate them"
sa.~ one officer. There are entirely too
many boys at the business now. There
are about 500 of them employed in the sew
eral shops here, while there are but 287
Journeymen in the city. This Is out of all
proportion and unfair to u.s.