Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-04
TRADES & LABOR
ENDORSE STRIKE
ASSEMBLY TOOK ACTION IN REG
ULAR MEETING LAST
NIGHT.
COMMITTEE REPORT
In an Interview Representatives of the
Strikers Give Their Side of
the Situation as 1t
Now Stands.

LdSt nlgnC OttumWa trades ana La
Dor assembly in regular session took
cognizance of the local of Internation-
al association Of the Bridge and Struc
tural Iron Workers union by passing
a resolution endorsing the stand taken
by the strikers at the Ottumwa Box
Car Loader and Ottumwa Bridge Co.'S
plants The resolution extends the
moral support of the assembly and #
necessary the financial support. The
resolution follows:
Whereas, the Ottumwa Box Car
Loader Co. and Bridge Co., having re-
duced the wages of their employees
thereby compelling them to organize
for self protection, and
Whereas, they have organized To-
cal of the International association of
Bridge and Structural Iron Workers.
Resolved, that the Ottumwa Trades
and Labor assembly give them their
moral and If necessary financial sup
port, and request all unions affiliated
with this body to take the same Pc
sition.
Committee Report.
Following is a report of the press
committee of the Structural Iron
Workers.:
They walked right in and turned
around-and walked right out again.
AS Mr.. Phillips stated in last nights
Courier that the Greeks came here on
| their own accord The fact of the
matter is the press committee from
the Structural Iron Workers were
talking to the interpreter yesterday
and found out that they were notified
| there was no strike on hand here, ana
they were shipped here with the un.
derstanding they would work in
new shop.
The press committee states that
while we are not craving publicity we
feel that in justice to ourselves to
answer the article of Mr.. Phillips In
Tuesday nights publication. While
Mr.. Phillips article in Tuesdays Cou-
rier would infer that as they believe
majority Of the men felt that they
should stand the reduction, yet at
the first meeting in Labor hall every
man expressed himself as unwilling
to accept any reduction and the first
ballot was unanimously to that effect
From the fact when they received their
semi-monthly statements showing 4
reduction every man Immediately
dropped his tools and left, which
shows that they were unanimously In
favor of resenting ny reduction He
also states that while the men re-
ceived their nav at the rate that was
due them tic strike still continues.
And the company claims they do not
know why the strike stu. continues
The fact Of the matter is the COM
pany has not made any further agree
ments with the men and until the
men are assured there will be no re-
duction and the organization recog-
nized they will not return.
Mr.. Phillips states in Tuesdays
Courier that many of the employees
have no MONIES. If by that he means
to infer that we do not own property,
1t is possibly from the fact that we
have been under paid. However,
many of us do own homes and we
have homes whether we do own them
or not
Furthermore their reference to the
unions trying to run their business is
In itself absurd. However, we have
business Of our own to run and that
is what we are going to do. and we
consider wnen it comes to the stand
CAV VI "d6So bilu OIIlCl COllulLlCAS w Z
have something to say. While they
claim they have men and men are
coming and will continue to come,
we have been successful, not by in
timidation, but by explaining condi-
lions to keep men out, with the ex-
ception Of two men and two or three
high school boys, and as our cause is
a just one we expect to continue keep
ing men out by the same methods.
We think the strike breakers are
few and far between. That we have
gloated over the fact that the com
pany may suffer loss by reason Of OBJ.
legation to fill contracts is entirely un.
true, for we expected their contracts
to have strike clauses as matter OF
business. We do not wish to cause
the company any losses whatever, but
as laboring men we don't feel in jus
tice to ourselves that we should act
in any other way.
| Press Committee of Structural
Workers.
:.