The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-15
Fruitless Conference Held by
Cigarmakers and Their
Employers.
PROPOSAL FOR ARBITRATION
is SUMMARILY REJECTED
President WeckwOrth of the
Cigarmakers' Union Makes
a Statement.

Efforts were mnde Thursday TO bring
about reconciliation between the
cigarmakers and their employers. hut
II seems that what was done only
served to widen the gulf which separ-
ates the two organizations. The union
held its daily meeting in the forenoon,
and during the proceedings some Of
the representatives Of the cigar manu-
facturers appeared and requested con
ference, This was granted immediate
ly and meeting between the com
mi'tees of the employers and employees
was planned for the afternoon.
Since the strike was declared the
cigar makers have treated with indiff-
erence the suggestion made by the en-.
ployers that the matter be submitted
to arbitration. II seems, however, that
when the negotiations were resumed
Thursday the manufacturers again pro
posed arbitration, but the offer was
summarily rejected by the clgarmak-
ers committee. Its members assert
that If the question ultimately is
settled it must terminate otherwise
than through arbitration in the manner
proposed by the employers. They say
that their first demand must be consid-
cred as an ultimatum and that since
they gave the matter thorough consid
Grafton before deciding on the walk-out
they will remain in their present atti.
tude until doomsday if that should be
necessary to enforce their demands,
After reconsidering the request for an
increase in wages the employees com
mittee learned that the original de
mand calls for an increase of only five
and a half per cent instead of seven
per cent, as had been stated in earlier
reports.
Gives His Reasons.
When asked concerning his reasons
for rejecting the offer To submit the
matter 10 arbitration President Week
worth Of the union said that the sug-
gestiou was entirely practicable. Ac-
cording TO the plan submitted by the
employers the arbitration committee
must be composed of two cigarmakers
and two cigar manufacturers. and these
must select the fifth member of the
committee. Naturally, if this fifth ar
bitrator were selected outside of the
ranks Of the two parties to the contro-
versy. and this would he necessary, he
would not know the ins and outs of
the business The cigarmakers are paid
not by the day or week. but according
to the amount and quality of their
work, the kind Of goods that they must
handle and various other considerations
enter into the question. The union
mep maintain that the ordinary layman
could not familiarize himself with the
subject by week 8 study. and as nc
would In this instance be all ll-powerful
10 would be unfair to submit the dues-
tion TO his consideration. They assert,
moreover. that If the matter were sub.
mitted to arbitration in this way the
cigar manufacturers would have every
thing TO gain and nothing to lose in
asmuch as the referee could not secure
any concessions from the manufactur-
ers that are not requested in the en-
ployees demands. but on the other hand
he might easily WELD his influence for
the profit of the employers.
Proprietors Working.
All of the local cigar factories
affected by the strike have practically
suspended operations since only the
proprietors are working The manufac-
turers say that they could not secure
substitute workmen if they desired
and they are not making any attempt
to engage the services of new en-
ployees. When these facts arc consid
cred 1T becomes apparent that there are
only two alternatives-the factories
must either 're.employ their men or
reduce their capacity. provided, of
course, that they cannot secure non
union labor. The cigarmakers union
has secured strike fund Of $4,000 and
| its officers assert that they are pre-.
pared for prolonged strike
Samuel Gompers Suggested.
Thursday evening George A. Whit.
alter. acting in behalf Of tho cigar
manufacturers, said that the employers
| had consented TO the selection Of Sam
uel Gompers. president Of the Fedora
! tion of Labor. to act as fifth man on
| the arbitration committee. He ex.
planned that Mr., Gompcrs had served
for years as n cigarmaker and was
/ therefore well qualified TO serve on the
! committee. The officers Of the union
! did not seem to consider this offer as
being of much import. for thov refused
to entertain the suggestion. and insisted
on enforcing their original demands