The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-16
Granite Industry Of Washing
ton County Tied up To-day
AS RESULT OF LOCKOUT
Mortified Dispute Over Hand-surfacer
Has Developed into Big Labor Trouble
in Which Barre, Montpelier, Water
bury, Z. Barre, Etc, Are Involved.

field granite cutters was a violation Of
the agreement regarding the non-sus.
pension Of work pending settlement o.
grievances. the Barre Granite Manufac-
turers' association to-day declared 4
lockout, and the granite industry Of
Washington county, excepting the quar-
riss, was brought TO standstill and
1000 men were thrown ont Of work.
On the other hand, the granite cutters
Of Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury, East
Barre, Williamstown and the scattered
towns claim that the general lockout Is
violation OF the agreement with them,
since only the Northfeld braneh Of the
cutters has a grievance, and the other
branches were not concerned in the pres
ent disagreement over the use Of the
hand.bushing machine. or bumper" as
it il called, IN NorthAeld.
The lockout was declared at seven
o'clock this morning, when the striking
Mortified cutters had not resumed work
the manufacturers association having
voted last Saturday night to close their
plants on Tuesday morning, If the North
field strikers had not resumed and the
action being backed up BIZ another vote
taken at a special meeting last night
Secretary Charles n. Wishart of the a.
soeiation remained at the headquarters OF
the manufacturers. as authorized. until
midnight last night to receive word from
the Nofthfeld urion, and he was there
again this morning from six 10 seven
O'Clock, in order to get word but mons
came.
IN addition. he spent some time last
night trying 10 get into telephone COM
munication with Secretary John Berry
Of the North6eld union. but Ne failed in
this Notification had been sent to the
various unions on Sunday that the plants
would be closed this morning, If the l50
Mortified cutters were not at work, 50
that when the workmen here went 70
the granite sheds this morning and found
them closed they were not very much
surprised although union officials ex-
pressed much indignation that Barre and
other granite towns should have beer
made to snsTer for something another
union may have done
The Barre cutters and the others claim
tAat the agreement of the Northfield
branch, q. G I A., Is separate from
their own with the manufacturers. that
there IL no grievance between them and
the association and thai theys have been
licked ont ID direct violation of their
agreement with the manufacturers
How the Agreement Reads
This agreement stategs
IT j. mutually agreed that any griev-
anOe Or contention that may arise dur
ing the existence of this agreement and
bin Of prices, as to It's performance IN
good faith, by either party. shall be re-
ferred to committee consisting Of six
members. three to b selected from the
loaal association Of manufacturers and
three from the local branch OF the Gran
ite Critters International association.
Which committee shall act as an adjust
tncnt committee and said COMMITTEES.
failing 10 agree BY a two-thirds vote.
shall refer the matter in dispute To
an arbitration board Of three. one to be
selected BY the local branch of the man
ufaetuers and one by the local branch
of the Granite Cutters International as
sociatioH. from their respective bodies,
these two shall agree upon and select a
third party to act with them, and the
board thus constituted shall hear the
parties and make an award within ff.
teen days by majority vote; such
award shall be final Pending such arhi-
tration In reference to the foregoing bill
of prices, it is mutually agreed that
there shall he no strike. lockout, or sns-
pension Of work. Furthermore. the
agreement between the manufacturers
ard cutters states:
1T is also further agreed that any
grievance that may arise during TIE ex-
istence Of this agreement that is nor
covered BY the bin Of prices and agree
ment shall also be referred to the adjust
ment committee, and any agreement
they may come to in the matter under
consideration shall be accepted by both
parties Pending the consideration or
such questions, ii is mutually agreed
that there shall be no strike, lockout or
suspension Of work
It Is on this point that the lockout
hinges That there was a grievance ar
the granite plant Of Cross Bros. in
Mortified is generally admitted hut the
manufacturers claim that the usual mode
of procedure in the foregoing sections
should have been followed and that the
men ought not to have quit work. FoI
lowing d meeting Of the Northfsd
branch last Wednesday NIGHT, when it
was voted not to use the bumper" sew
eral Of Cross Bros men were sent
home not discharged. the company
SAYS when they refused to operate the
machines Then the others at North-
field quit work and have bfen out ever
since Bethel Is not included in the zone
Of tie present trouble, and the men are
working there.