Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-23
Fall River Operatives Re-
jsct FivsPer Cent Offer
# Demands Are Not Acceded to
Will Strike Monday.
More Than $4,000 Operatives
Would Be Affected.

Fall River. MASS, NOV. We INV
unions of operatives at a special meet
ing tonight voted by a large majority
| to reject the offer of a five per cent
! advance in wages and to go out ON
strike next Monday morning unless the
! full demand for ten per cent. increase
) be granted before that time.
! Mayor COuGhlin is endeavoring to
| arrange conference between the
! manufacturers and representatives of
, the Textile Council in order to prevent
! g repetition of the business paralysis
which occurred in 1904-05. when the
! mills were idle for nearly six months.
! No definite statement could be obtain
ed from any of the officials of the
Manufacturers Association today and
no confirmation of rumor that the
) five per cent advance asked for was
, to be had. There is a feeling i'll bust
ness circles that even if a strike occurs
on Monday that it will be of short
! duration, as it is held that the manu-
facturers are not in position to per-
nit their mills to he closed for any
great length of time in view of the
prosperous condition of the industry.
/ Should Il strike go into effect on
! Monday about $4,000 operatives would
be thrown out of work, and more than
80 corporations, cnerating IS cloth
mills. would be affected.
| Tn-.re was very little discussion at
any of the meetings tonight. After the
meetings had been called to order. the
secretaries read the call and the cor
F. respondence which had passed between
| the Textile Council and the secretary
of the manufacturers Association.
/ Within a few minutes a vote was
| reached.
| The Textile Council held a meeting
! Immediately after the unions had fin
| ished their business and heard the re-
ports of the vote. The Textile Council
took no action and adjourned without
/ date.
James Tansey. president of the Tex
tile Council. s,,id after the meeting:
| Il hope the manufacturers will sec
! The wisdom Of changing their attitude
/ There seems 20 be no power On earth
to stop these reOple from striking I'M
| less wages are advanced 10 per cent"
Secretary Thomas Taylor said:
! The operatives had apparently made
up their minds before they entered the
meetings. There vas almost no discus
i sion and unless the manufacturers re-
code from their position, the looms will
be idle next week.
The union officials say that quite a
number of operatives. fearing trouble
nave already left the city and it is
said that agents for other mill towns
are expected here to engage help in the
event Of strike.
The votes taken tonight do not affec:
the seven mills operated by the Fall
River Iron Works Co., which are con-
trolled by NJ. G. p. Borden Of New
York or several other corporations. Mr.
Borden l.; ont a member Of the Manu-
lecturers Association and the other
plants from which no demand has beer
made manufacture thread. yarn anc
SuitiIgS.
The demand for 10 per cent. ad
vance was made about three weeks ago
The Textile Council set forth in it:
| request that in view of the prosperous
condition of the textile industry wage!
should be restored to the schedule pait
previous to the reduction. which Wa!
2i2 oer cent.
Last spring a partial restoration was
made. bringing the price of weaving
standard 2s-inch 81 by 81 print cloths
to 1880 cents per cut. The price paiC
il, 1903 was PITS, the amount now asked
fer.