The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
ALL IRON WORKS FAIL
TO RESUME OPERATIONS
Worknen Report for Duty,
but Find the Plants
Closed Down

Thinking that the strike was over.
1000 men employed in the different
crafts connected with the iron indus
their former places of toll yesterday
morning and then walked back again.
The refusal of the machinists to ratify
the agreement between the iron trades
council and the metal trades associa-
tion was the cause. The owners said
they could not probably conduct their
business without the machinists. and so
there were no whistles blowing and no
resumption of activity in the Union,
Risdon, Fulton and. other manufactur-
ing and building plants.
The proprietors complained that the
action Of the nachinists was the cause
of continued idleness and that their
attitude was stubborn and unwar-
ranted
The following union men were will
ing to work and went to their respec-
tive places of employment: Black
smiths Nos. 6S and 100, Blacksmiths'
helpers No 316, pattern makers. cast
Ing clippers, molders, boiler makers
No. 205 and electrical workers No. Isl.
Secretary Nolan Of the molders said
he voiced the sentiments of the iron
trades unions and condemned the lock-
out by the employers. He denied that
many of the owners would have been
crippled In their work by the nonap-
pearance of the machinists, and named
several of the plants that employed
none. These, he claimed, should. have
been operated as an evidence OF good
faith.
1.-The action of the metal trades asso-
citation" he said, will only have the
effect of uniting union workmen.
There might have been a spirit of ami
mostly engendered, as among unions.
had union men fndorsing the agree
ment been forced to work with i'm
ported or nonunion machinists But
the metal trades association has re-
lieved the situation and has brought
us together again in a common cause.
We believe that such firms as could
have opened should have done so. and
thus have shown their good faith.
I'VE have been dubious about the sim
cerity of the owners In this fight. Ru-
mors have persisted that there were
influences a. work in the association
which sought fight. Well. they'll get
it to finish. We wanted to return to
work today. There were many plants
which might have been thrown open.
We were not responsible for the indi-
vidual act OF any union, any more than
the association would have been held
accountable by us II one or two firms
had declined to indorse the agreement
We conceded more than they did in the
agreement. We did not really achieve
an eight hour day The very day when
the eight hours would be in effect.
three years hence, il the date on which
the agreement expires. According to
the document which the metal trades
association repudiated yesterday, we
gained but little"
]. J. lyman of the Union iron works,
and a member of the metal trades as
ISOLATION. did not take the same view
OF the situation.
There are few If indeed there are
any. concerns that could work to ad-
vantage without machinists." he said
THE failure of those workmen to in
dorse the agreement was genuine. dis
appointment TO us and meant contin-
ued idleness of plants and men. We are
not responsible for the refusal of the
machinists to accept an agreement ac-
ceptable to other union men. That is
their affair. A shop or two might be
run prof1tabIy for q short while with
out the employment of machinists in
this city. Some shops do not employ
any directly, but are affected indirect
1y just the same. Besides, such estab-
lishments would not seek to take ad-
vantage of competing firms by run
ming when their competitors, associated
with them in the metal trades associA-
tion. were forced to keep their doors
closed by the nonappearance Of the ma
chinists.
"The union men must all come to
work or all stay out. for we cannot op-
crate probably with q crippled force.
The machinists, with the molders. afe
naturally the backbone of the machine
business"
About 40 delegates OF the iron trades
council met at Bent's hall. at Twenty
second and Folsom streets. last night
to discuss and take action on the ten
tative peace overtures made between
the metal trades association and the
iron trades Council. but no dehnits
action was taken Another meeting
was called for Thursday afternoon at
o'clock at the pattern makers hall.
Twenty nrst and Capp streets.