The Washington herald., 1907-05-07
BUILDERS ON STRIKE
Trades Unions Call Out $50
Men to Aid Plumbers.
ACTION IS TO ENFORCE AWARD
shops, After Alleged Agreement to
UniOnize, Fail so Do SO and Jobs
Employed Are StOpDed-MetrODOI-
itan Club Work Affected.

One hundred and fifty men OF the vari-
Gus building trades laid down their tools
yesterday. on the new Metropolitan Club
building at nth and II streets northwest,
on the apartment house in course OF con-
struetion at 90th and P streets northwest.
and on the row Of houses on Park road,
between 9Th and 7th streets northwest.
This action was taken by the Building
Trades Alliance in support of the jour
neyman plumbers, in their long drawn out
battle with the master plumbers as
sociation. It is claimed by the plumbers,
that despite the fact that the master
plumbers pledged themselves to unionize
their shops they have failed TO do so.
Decisive action was agreed upon at the
meeting Saturday night, when the build
ing trades pledged the plumbers their
support and gave assurance that they
would not work on any building with
lnonunion plumber, but a preliminary meet
ing was called IN the Corcoran Build
ing at s o'clock yesterday morning TO
agree upon a detailed plan of action. A
report was heard from an investigating
committee and owing TO its lack Of detail
about certain buildings, the committee
met again at Il O'Clock. and Immediately
started out on its tour.
Stop on metropolitan Club.
The first building visited was the Net
ropolitan Club. Upon arrival there the
representative OF each of the trades en-
ploycd on the building told the men of
his union 90 quit work. over 100 men laid
down their tools Immediately without
question. The building was deserted yes
torday afternoon, ana to date no settle
ment has been reached.
The programme followed yesterday is
practically the same as was followed on
the strike Of the new municipal building
several weeks ago. when the $50 men en-
ployed there laid down their tools stimuli
taneously. The question at issue is also
practically the same, and the plumbing
firm Of James Nolan & Sons, Involved on
the municipal building, was the one prin-
clpally affected yesterday.
II viii be recalled that when the strike
was declared on the municipal building.
the contractor for that work, James L.
Parsons, ordered the nonunion men off
the jon. and the trades returned 70 work.
Since that time the plumbing work there
has been at a standstiil. Negotiations
have been under way for its resumption.
but it is understood the firm Of Nolan &
Sons has consistently refused TO put on
union men, and Mr.. Parsons has been
equally insistent that nonunion men
should not do the work.
Contention of the Plumbers.
At the time Of the municipal building
strike. the plumbers and the other trades
were working for the closed shop. It be
ing claimed by them that it was pro
vided IN the arbitration award. Two
weeks ago at a conference Of the master
and journeyman plumbers committees,
with Judge De Lacey as intermediary and
chairman, it was admitted by the master
plumbers it is said, that the disputed
clause of the arbitration award provided
for the closed shop and the conditions
existing under the old contract signed in
1903. and they at that time pledged them
selves to live up TO it. It is claimed now
that the master plumbers are still violat-
ing the award in the fact that some of
them who. at the time of the lockout,
We're running union shop, have changed
over and are working uonunion men.
In this connection. 1t is said, a number
of the men who left the union at the
time Of the lockout, which was the cause
for the whole fight and for whom the
arbitration board provided that they be
taken back without the payment of all
back dues and fines, for the Ostensible
reason. it is said, to allow the men en-
plOying them TO run union shops under
the award, did not apply for reinstate-
ment within the time limit of sixty days
which expired the last of April, and, con-
sequently, the men employing these are
running a nOnuniOn shop.
Plumbers stiII WOrk.
The nonunion plumbers continued at
work on the Metropolitan Club yesterday,
and it is said this building will be com
pletely tied-up in all other branches until
such time as they are taken off.
Aiiddaugh & Shannon. contractors for
the Park road houses, and the Dunn
Company, contractors for the apartment
house at Thirtieth and streets. it is
understood, promised 10 straighten out
the matter of the nonunion plumbers
working on their jobs by o'clock this
morning, and on this promise the building
trades men returned TO work, pending that
action. The executive committee will
meet this morning, and if this promise is
not kept work will Immediately be stop
ped again until union plumbers are put
to work
The executive committee also visited
the new power-house in course of con
structiOn by the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. at the corner Of North Capitol
and Myrtle streets northeast. with the
intention Of pulling" the men of. but.
it is said, an official of the company
Immediately laid of the nonunion men.
or laborers. and the work was not inter-
fered with. Chairman Purcell. of the
trades committee, when asked last night