New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-11-17
WAGES TO REMAIN UP.
OLD UNION PACTS STAND.
Sht"ation Outlined by Building
Trades EN- pIoyers' association.

me general sentiment in the Building
Trades Employers Association, according to an
official statement made yesterday by repre-
sentative of the association, is against re-
duction Of wages when the present agreements
expire, at the end OF this year though more
than one-half of the men in a number of the
building trades are now idle. and more are ex-
pected to be idle in five six weeks.
The new buildings proposed for next year
up to date show aggregate of about $1,000,
600 less than at this time last year. There is
increase in Manhattan of between $4,000
and $5000O0 but there is a heavy falling off in
the boroughs of Brooklyn and The Bronx, espe-
cially in Brooklyn. The statement gives the
following list of unions whose wage agreements
expire at the end of this year:
BrIcklayers and Masons' International Union
40 cents hour.
Cement Masons' Union 62Is cents an hour
minimum; laborers, skilled, 80 cents an hour;
unskilled, % cents.
Brotherhood of Carpenters, So a day for eight
hours.
United National Association of PLUMBERS and
Steamitters. 50 day for eight hours.
Elevator Constructors and MillwrightA Union,
81 30 day for eight hours. 49,
Insuators and Asbestos Workers Union, - %
a day for eight hours.
Hosting and Portable Engineers Union,
So 20 a day for eight hours
Metallic Lathers' Union, 81 80 a day for
Plain and Ornamental Operative Plasterers,
Union, So 30 day, minimum; laborers' D. -
for eight hours. e..
Sheet Metal Workers Union, 81 ~ d udN l"A
Stone Settlers Union, 81 30 a day for eight
Wood Carvers' Union. So day for eight
hours.
The agreement of the Electrical Workers
Union does not expire until a year later. but in
accordance with this agreement the wages VIII
be increased from 81 80 to So a day next year
There are several other trades whose agreements
do not expire at the end of this year The state
ment says:
Building operations generally are not encour-
aging but reducing wages would NOT increase
the volume of business, OF course, II Woulu not
be possible to predict absolutely If there VIII be
a reCuperation in trade in 1SS, but next year
is the year of Presidential election, When trade
is bad generally a good deal depends on the
time occupied in completing the tunnels ana
other public improvements If they are rushed
along with the prospect of being finished sooner
than is now expected il will stimulate hulldlng
operations and contractors Will be inclined TO
take more chances The contractors in the
Building Trades Employers Association employ
about 40 or 40 per cent of the building meChan-
les in greater New York and about 20 per
cent of the building mechanics in Manhattan
alone. What the independent contractors may
do whether they will reduce wages or keep
them at the present figure and select the best
New York where everything is wanted in a
hurry, speed counts for a good deal.
Under the trade agreement between the brick
layers unions and the Mason Builders Assoc
citation the hrIcklayers are bound to enforce its
conditions on all Independent mason builders.
They have been able TO do this for the last ten
years
The individual employers and the officers Of
the unions are not optimistic. and the officers OF
the unions say that they look for at least a hard
winter. One Of the latter said yesterday:
There only a few buildings such as the
Singer Building, the Hudson Terminal buildings
and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Building,
on hand, and they nearing completion. In
five or six weeks there will he a small army of
men thrown idle. in addition to those out of
work The tunnels win keep number of men
busy but they employ few skilled mechanics
compared with the number employed on office
buildings and hotel structures"