Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-06
THREATS MADE OF
A GENERAL STRIKE
LABOR COUNCIL IS CALLED
INTO TROUBLE
Teamsters viii Know Tonight II They
VIII Have Support Of Affiliated
Unions in Open Shop
Warfare

DIS Representatives VI LWChIJ lupOl
unions at a meeting last night at
union labor headquarters agreed to
place the cause of the striking team
sters before their respective organiza-
tions and request a vote of the MEM
bers as to whether they would obey the
call for sympathetic strike.
Early yesterday morning all was
peace and quiet and the union men
were confident that the strife existing
between the members of the Draymen's
association and their employees was at
an end. The thing which prompted
them to these thoughts was the fact
that at a meeting of the strikers it had
been decided to waive all disagreements
in regard to the recognition Of the un-
ion by the draymen and return to work
if granted raise Of rs cents day of
twelve hours and | cents an hour for
overtime.
1t was thought by the teamsters that
this would end the strike and COM
mittee was appointed to visit the MEM
bers of the Draymens association and
notify them of the action Of the union
Teamsters' Terms Refused
Early yesterday morning, according
to the officers Of the teamsters' union,
the committee was met by Mr.. Cochran
and an agreement was made that the
teamsters should return to work, pro-
viding the members of the association
would sign an agreement granting the
increased wages and pay for overtime.
The draymen are said to have refused
tc sign any agreement whatsoever but
to have insisted that they would deal
with the teamsters as individuals only,
and that no organized body would be
recognized. In other words, that no
agreement would be signed with any
union and that the fight for an open
shop would be continued.
A report was at once made to the
members of the miscellaneous council
and a meeting of that body was called
for last night.
At the meeting the members of the
committee which had waited on the Off
GERS of the Draymens association re-
ported their failure to come to settle
ment with the draymen, and stated
they were confident that the members
of the association were determined to
carry on the fight for an open shop to
the finish.
"They are determined to crush union
ism in Los Angeles said Business
Agen Butler of the teamsters' union,
"and are backed by the moneyed inter-
ests of the town. If it comes to fight
| it will be a fight to the death, and
| winning 1t will mean that Los Angeles
| will in the future be union town.
| Propose Sympathetic Strike
i 1t was then proposed that sympa-
/ thetic strike be called and that all
unions affiliated with the teamsters be
called out to assist them in winning
| their battle against the draymen. 1t
| was stated that it would be unneces-
sary to call out the members of the
carmen's union, of the building trades
or the printers, but nearly every other
/ union in the city was said to be ready
| to go out to assist the strikers.
| 1t was then decided to have the
representatives of the different unions
| who were present place the subject
| before their unions at once and report
at meeting tonight the result of their
conferences. 1t was decided to have
them propose to their unions SYM
pathetic strike and learn the sentiments
of their comrades on the question.
If it was found that the majority
were in favor of going on strike the
matter could be reported at the meet
ing tonight and decision reached, and
the members of the union which Is
now on strike could then be assured of
support and know just how many of
the affiliated unions could be depended
upon to stand by them.
While the members of the union, as
we'll as those who were present at the
meeting last night openly admitted
that the calling of a strike during the
present week would be one of the worst
things for Los Angeles which could
happen, many of them expressed the
belief that it would be possible to set
tie it. Others expressed the hope that
no strike would be called until after
4I1i ofHfad that If
one was called they would obey the
summons and quit work.
The Draymen's Side
The members of the Draymen's asso-
citation stated yesterday that the men,
bers of the unions were taking views
of the matter which were all wrong.
They stated that the calling of SYM
pathetic strike was unnecessary, and
said that the strikers were only In
turing their own cause by talking of 1t.
I'VE have determined that we are
going to stand for an open shop ana
nothing they can do will make us
change our minds" said Fred Fucker,
a prominent member of the Draymen's
association, last night. "We hope that
sympathetic strike will not be called,
as it will injure Los Angeles In the
eyes of our visitors and Will also work
unionism great injury.
1.-THE matter, boiled down, comes to
simply this: For years we have been
dictated to by the members of the
unions and have suffered all kinds of
injuries in consequence, The members
have carried things with high hand,
told us who we should and should not,
hire and we have found that they
were in reality the bosses and not US.
Have Good Support
"This matter has been carefully con-
sidered by us for some time. and we
have been assured of the support OF
every organization interested in the
welfare of the city Even the smaller
merchants have hurried to us with ex-
pressions of support and assurances
that all possible assistance would be
given to our side. We have been told
not to worry if we could not deliver
goods to them promptly. and that If
necessary they would close their stores
in order to support us.
1--WE are very grateful for these as
surances and feel confident every fair
minded man will do all in his power to
help us win this battle against those
who wish to be our masters"
ST don't feel that / can say much at
x,rasaDt said Secretary Smith of the