Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-18
Granite Manufacturers Associa.
ton Declares a General Lock-
out in Washington Co.
CLAIM BREACH OF CONTRACT
0eplorable Situation Brought
about by 100 Striking Work
men in Northfield, Who
Disliked Bumpers.

Barre. Nov 16--Claiming that the
strike of the Northiicld era mite cut
ters was a violation of the agreement
regarding the non-suspension of work
pending settlement of grievances. tho
Barre Granite Manufacturers Assoc
citation to-day declared a lockout. aud
the granite industry of Washington
county. excepting the quarrics. was
brought to n standstill ana 1000 men
were thrown out of work
On the other hand. the Crani;n cut
tors OF Barre. Montpelier. Waterbury.
East Barre. W-illiamstown and the
scattered towns claim that tho gen
eral lockout is n violation of the
agreement with them, since only the
Northfield branch OF the cutters has
grievance.
1t is on this point that the lockout
hinges. That there was a grievance
ut the granite plant OF Cross Bros In
Mortified is generally admitted; but
the manufacturers claim that the
usual mode Of procedure should have
been followed and that the men ought
not to have quit work. Following a
meeting OF the Northfeld branch last
Wednesday night when it was voted
not to use the bumper" several 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 been out
EVER since. Bethel Is not included in
he zone OF the present trouble, and
the men are working there.
NORTHFlELD SITUATION.
Mortified. Nov. 1G.--President James
Powers of the Mortified branch. q. c.
I. A.. was interviewed this afternoon
and he gave his version of the difficulty
IN the granite industry, so far az North
field Is concerned. as follows:
About month ago, the union here
voted to suspend work on the hanS -sur-
facers for a period of six months. or
until May /. Then the union wrote to
In ternatio>al headquarters, explaining
the action; whereupon, word was re-
ceived from headquarters supporting the
action of the local branch. on getting
that approval the Northfield branch held
another meeting Thursday night and vot-
ed not to use the hand-surfaCers. No
notice was given tho bosses. Cross
Bros. turned off one man after another
when they declined to use the tool.
"Our grievance committee went &c
Cross Bros. and requested them to pu,
the men to work until the matter Was
settled by arbitration. Cross Bros. re-
fused. Then we had a meeting and tool
action. After this. a conference. between
the Mortified cutters and the Barre
Manufacturers association grievance
committee, represented by NJ. \. McIver
was held, the latter proposing that tn,
he hack n 4
machines be rum pending a settlemen,
This was put before the union here ant
was rejected.
ION Saturday. we tried TO talk will
Secretary James Duncan at Toronto owe
the telephone, but failing to get gooc
connection we wrote to him just VIVA
the situation was. We expected to get
reply by letter yesterday afternoon, bu
UP to tho present time there has beer
no response We afraid that tn
letter may have been lost in some way.
The Mortified branch held meeting
late yesterday and took action.
Is understood. although ii did refuse 4
accept the resignation of Presiden
James Powers when he voluntarily ten
dered It,
Cross Bros. in whose granite plant tn
present trouble broke out. stated this aft
ernoon that four men were laid off be
cause they refused to run the bumpers
as usual. Furthermore Cross Bros, state
that plenty of water was supplied 70 us
In laying the dust on the stone. which tn
machines stirred up. They also asser
that the same machines were used a
John Burns's granite plant after it ha
been voted by the union, as alleged, no
TO use them.