The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-03

!. Seventeen hundred men are on strike
in Minneapolis, st. Paul and the north
west. Following the strike yesterday
OF the foundry workers, 1900 employees
OF the telephone companies quit work
today, and SO several large businesses
are temporarily tied up or inconven-
fenced. - =
The 500 union foundry workers, iron.
molders and coremakers on strike are
abotu evenly divided between Mime
apolis and st. Paul. Thirteen shops are
tied up in Minneapolis and eighteen in
St. Paul. The strike was quietly
port for work, and investigation re-.
vealed the fact that the strike was on.
The situation in Minneapolis, it is said,
is part Of gigantic struggle that is
to take place all over the country be-
tween the National Iron Molders union
and the National Foundrymen s associa-
ton, the employers. Other large cities,
notably Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwau-
kee, Boston and Kansas City, are af.
fected. - & -.".s.. +.
The administrative council of the
Foundrymen g association will meet in
Detroit tomorrow, and the employers
are; expected to line up for the fight.
$1,000. Concerted Action. .F,..~t
President Valentine Of the union has
been visiting all the locals of the large
cities, and the action Of the union
forces is taken to be concerted, tho
carried out by the individual locals.
It is said that the struggle is a result
of a long war between the employers
and union men Of Philadelphia, tho
this is denied by representatives Of the
local union. - ..,.~ -. ~
The local situation, both in Mime
apolis and st. Paul, has embarrassing
features in view Of the heavy building
operations now on in both cities. Not
only are ironworkers affected, but other
structural lines will feel the strike. =.
Five .foundries are still in operation
The Minneapolis Steel & Machinery
company and the Kinnard-Haynes com
pany have been non-union shops and are
not affected. The North Star Foundry
| company, the. Union Ironworks and the
Washburn .Caststeel company have
signed the agreement and scale Of the
local union and are working.
- Why the Strike. 49,: H.
The ironmolders and .coremakers o,
the twin cities are exceptionally vel
organized. In Minneapolis all mem
bers Of the trade except those in tn
two non.union shops are union men, thu
there has been no, agreement for ..
closed shop. For two years the mel
have been working without a forma
agreement as to wages, hours or close,
shop. No change in hours is now asked
but they seek an advance in the wage
of molders from 1888 a day to $3.1
and Of coremakers from 1888 to $27S
The closed-shop rule is covered ind
rectly. Under present conditions al
men are Union men, and the men de
mand that union men only shall be en-
ployed.' "&sS ~ az
i The new agreement was proposed t
1.-The employers about March /, it is sale
by the union committee. The final cal
was made a. week ago and tha strik
: quietly ordered yesterday. The organ;
'|'zation leaders say they can stand
long-drawn-out fight. H..
The employers are organized in tn
Twin City Foun drymen 8 association
Representative Of the association sa
be accepted, but not the closed sho]
Without the latter the union men sa
they will not sign. -.
The Telephone Strike.
I Twelve hundred installers, sp1icel
and wire men employed by the Nortl
western and the Tri-State telephon
" companies, and scattered about MINI.
sofa, North and South Dakota and wis
consin, struck. at noon today. r
f About half of the strikers are unio
: men, the others are non-union helper
| who are following the lead Of the
union co-workers. It is known that go
| union men are involved, about 800 (
2 whom are at work in Minneapolis.
} Thirty-six hours notice was given
| the companies and they were not at a
s surprised by the walk-out. At tn
r Northwestern workshop the followir
a notice was posted: ~
Gail employees of the company al
! hereby notified that those who fail
? report for duty on Friday mornins
May 4, will be considered as havin
permanently left the employ Of II
+ company and will be given their tin
!, Saturday morning at the usual place
y payment. Such employees will be co
, sidered and dealt with as trespassers
I they appear upon the grounds or pro-
l ertY Of the company -. .. -
The men now striking are receivin
:; on the average, $40 a month and ask
1 raise to $75. The employing compani
s take the ground that as the wages
d that class of laborers has been raise
from $50 to $40 in a comparative
n short time, they feel that the limit h
Il been reached. No attempt to push Il
s extension work of the companies w
8 be made at present, but, they are con
e dent they will be able to maintain
d those lines already in operation Wo,
G on the. underground. conduits will
f continued and the stringing of the wiz
will be deferred to some later date.
l'#.G..... IL, 81. ~
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