United labor bulletin., 1911-02-09
CLAIMS CARPENTERS
WE'RE SUSPENDED ILLEGALLY.
Kirby Ruling Required Two-Thirds Ma
jority but Lost on Appeal.

The action taken by the Building
Trades Department of the American
Federation of Labor in suspending the
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
,Joiners from the department, at the re-
cent St Louis convention, was not legal,
according ito William d. Huber. general
president of the United Brotherhood OF
Carpenters and Joiners. The same posi-
ton is taken by Frank Duffy, general
secretary OF the United Brotherhood.
They contend that a two-third vote is
necessary to suspend an organization
from membership in the department, and
that the vote at the convention stood 81
in favor of suspension and % against.
The same vote also covered the suspen-
sion of the International Association of
Steam and Hot Water Filters, whose
case was disposed of at the same time as
that of the carpenters and joiners. In
both cases the charge was that the in
ternationals had not obeyed what was
known as the Tampa decision, relating
TO matters of jurisdiction.
The question of whether a two-thirds
vote was necessary for the suspension
came up before James Kirby. who. as
president. was presiding over the St
Louis convention when the action was
taken. Mr. Kirby. II is explained, ruled
the suspension of an International, as
the Toronto convention of the American
Federation OF Labor. which is the parent
body of the Building Trades Department.
had ruled that the laws of the depart
ment must conform to the general laws
of the A. F. OF l.. The laws of the A.
F. of l.. provide for a two-thirds vote
for suspension. An appeal was taken
from the ruling of Kirby, however, and
the convention upheld the appeal.
The question of jurisdiction concerning
the carpenters and joiners had to do
with what is known as metal trim
around windows and doors. The sheet
metal workers claimed jurisdiction over
this. and so did the carpenters and join
ers' organization. The Tampa decision
had held in favor of the sheet metal
workers. and refusal to abide by this
was what brought about the suspension
of the carpenters and joiners' brother
hood.
In speaking of the trouble. President
Huber said that II began with the use OF
the metal trim In a hospital building in
New York about six or seven years ago.
Sheet metal workers first put up the
trim at the hospital, he said, but the
authorities at the hospital were not sat
SIZED with the work and had II torn out
anu the tIlm put IN ui members OF lut
carpenters organization. In New York
City. said President Huber. there are
about 5000 carpenters employed on this
class of work. and in Boston. Chicago
and other lnrsH cities many carpenters
are thss~ employed. Carpenters tools
only are employed IN this kind OF work,
he explained. and The carpenters contend
that they have Jurisdiction over it. Prest-
dent Huber said that the carpenters or
rani2ation paid into the department a
ner capita Tax nearly equal 10 the sum
paid by an the other members OF the de-
partment
The secretary OF the 4. F. OF L. has
rctlnei the different building trades
councils OF the action OF the convention
ana has asked them 10 act accordingly
~ to the present time few councils have
Gtken the desired action. and The Bulletin
has Just learned that the New York, St
Louis and San Francisco councils-the
largest in the United States-have re-
fused to act.
The men that control the destinies of
tho Denver Building Trades Council feel
more kindly toward the brotherhood Car.
Dcnters than for many months. and there
Is a feeling that viii shortly lead TO a
retaliation of the Carpenters with the
council The rank and file believe that
separation OF the building trades in Den.
yer is the worst OF folly. and are now
working to be aEain united.