Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-21
LOCKOUT OF PLUMBERS
EMPLOYERS WILL CONDUCT
STRICTLY OPEN SHOPS.
Journeymen Say It is a BLUR
Possibility Of Sympathetic Strike
of Other Trades

a crisis was reached In the local lockout
OF the journeymen plumbers today. when
announcement was made that beginning
this morning the establishments conducted
by members of the Master Plumbers Asso-
citation would hereafter be operated strictly
as open shops. and that all relations with
the union OF tourneymen plumbers would
terminate.
This decision was reached at meeting
OF the Master Plumbers Association held
last evening, thtrty-one employers being
present. vote was taken on the OPEN
shop proposition and resulted in thirty bal
lots for and but one against 1t. 1t is said
the master who voted against the open
shop afterward declared that he was with
the majority. but voted in the negative be
cause he desired to express mis- opinion IN
the matter.
This action of the master plumbers"
Mr.. Robert Il. Caveriy, chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee of the masters associa-
ton. said, means that in the future We
Will treat with the Journeymen as indiv,d-
uals and will not recognize the union So
far as We are concerned there Is no union
now This matter was discussed IN all its
phases at the meeting last evening. so that
there Is no ned for further argument.
First Class Journeymen.
We have been advised by the Master
Plumbers Association of Philadelphia that
1t can supply US with frst-ciass journey
men to the number of 200, and win send
them TO Washington as fast az they are re-
Quired here. That association has already
sent large number here
They are old. trained men and cannot be
influenced by the unionists. But to make
assurance doubly sure. we have instructed
our attorneys to go ahead and make appli-
cation for an order from the court to re-
strain the union from pieketing our places
or business and interfering with our work
men. The reason we are enabled to get so
ne ny men from Philadelphia is because
building operations there have been slack
for year or two and several hundred
plumbers are out of employment as a re-
suit Further. the master plumbers Of Phil
adelphla do not anticipate busy season
this spring and summer"
The statement was made this morning
that all the shops have their full quota of
workmen and business is proceeding as IL
there was no lockout.
I'm response to our call for Washington
boys of good education to learn the plumb
ing trade" Mr.. Caverly said, the response
has been very gratifying. Hereafter the
mer formerly employed by us must treat
with US as individuals. No discrimination
will be made because they members of
the union. The men we have brought here
from other places will OF course, be given
first consideration"
A committee was appointed at the mas
ter plumbers meeting last night to draft
regulations to govern the employment OF
apprentices and helpers. No shop will be
allowed to have more than two apprentices.
as in the past, or two helpers to three jour
ueymen, as per the contract made with the
Plum bers' Union in 1902 The union rate of
wages. 81 for a day of eight hours. Will
continue to prevail.
Winners in the End.
A meeting of the Plumbers Union was
held this morning at headquarters in Cos
tello's hail. 9th and streets. When the
announcement was made that the master
plumbers had finally decided for the open
shop several speeches were made. The
speakers urged the men to remain firm in
their determination. and they would come
out winners In the end. One of the plumb
ers declared that the open shop announce
ment of the master plumbers was "bluh.
intended to weaken the journeymen In their
intentions to stick it out to the bitter end
THE shops may be open now, one said.
but you can rest assured they Will be
closed shops when we return to them.
An officer of the union said 1t would be
impossible to run open shops In this city.
1.-The other building trades will not stand
for it," he added. THE plumbers work on
a building from its start to its finish, and
the carpenters. painters and members of
other crafts will not work on structure
with 'scab' workmen.''
This officer conveyed the impression that
the plumbers lockout may lead to general
tie-up of building operations in the District
this season because of prospective sympa-
thetic strikes OF other trades.