The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-05-20
COE-STAPLEY MEN
THREATEN TO CALL
GENERAL STRIKE
Pickets Guard Plant in West
End-The Freight
Strike Today

That a general strike among ma
chinists, polishers, buffers and press
operators is threatened to become eff
fective in Bridgeport during the lat
ter part of this week or the first of
next, growing out of the labor de-
nands upon the Coe-Stap1ey Company
here, is the assertion of such leaders
as Stephen Mclaughlin, vice president
of the Metal Polishers and Buffers
Union of North America, j. J. Egan,
Financial Secretary of Machinists Lo-
cal 80, and others here today
1t is now known that between SO and
20 per cent. of the men employed at
the Stapley plant have been pulled out
in sympathy with the 25 skilled me-
chanics who struck yesterday, and
that at noon Is pressmen refused to go
back to work. While the strikers,
who have maintained regular picket
lines this morning a11ege that but one
lone man was left in the pressrooJn
today and that the power was closed
down on the machines; representatives
of the factory contend that but 35 men
are out at present, intiTnating that
their places have been filled from out
af1oat in the vicinity that workmen
have been loaned from neighboring
factories likely to be affected should
the strike spread.
At the present time but two locals
are implicated: Lodge 80, International
40 Metal Polfshers' Union. Both are
identified with the American Fedora
ton of Labor, and John Flynn. na-
tionaI vice president of the Polishers'
Union, is upon the scene in person to
direct the forces. 1t is understood
that no general strike will be called
at the present time, though RepreSen-
tative William Larlkin, business agent
of the I. A. of M, left for Washing
ton last night to enter into conference
he
uation here.
Reports from Waterbury this morn.
ing, where a similar strike is under
way, intimate that the International
Workers of the World have taken
command and it was rumored that an
effort to bring some of their leaders
here may be made This is generally
discredited, owing to the power of the
organizations already entered in the
struggle. Local 80 has an enrolment
Of between $50 and 700 men in
Bridgeport while Local 40 numbers
close to 400, and the greatest CON
fidence in the outcome is felt owing
to the recent action of the American
Graphophone Company.
A history of the strike as made pub
lie by Secretary Egan this morning
shows that agitation in the Coe-Stap
ley plant began a week ago when a
petition was submitted to Supt. G. B.
Baldwin asking for a SO hour week
with no reduction. The men were
then working SO hours and receiving
fully pay A refusal of the demands
was made by the factory upon the
grounds that unless all competitors of
the Coe-StapIey Company were to |
grant similar requests great injustice |
would entail.
1t was alleged upon the part of the |
strikers that Ohio factories were com |
planning that their output was affect
ed by the cheap labor rates in Con- |
necticut. but that in order to meet the |
owners the unions would compromise |
by accepting q hour day with 5 |
hours on Saturday, losing pay for the |
afternoon-5O hours work and 55 |
hours pay. This was refused and the |
delegates again offered a further con |
cession which was to take off half an |
hour each day for six months until |
the hour day was reached on tthe |
sliding scale. This was refused and |
according to the strikers the last offer
made was to take 15 minutes off in |
three month periods until the hour
day was reached. Upon the final re- |
fusal all the union men walked out at |
3:l5 yesterday and were Joined this |
morning by other ympathizers
When visited by a reporter for The
Farmer today, President Coe stated |
that he felt the demands were unjust |
although he intimated that were his
competitors here to agree to such a |
9oe1AS no AIlAGHt Do IA d pOSlC1On 10 Lur- |
Their consider the demands. Upon the |
question of securing outside labor to |
fill the places of those on strike he |
refused to admit that strike breakers
would be brought from other cities. A |
decision as to the course to be taken |
had not been made. It was denied |
that the power had been shut off at |
any time during the day or that the |
plant would be closed permanently.
Although numbers gathered about |
the corners of the building and pic [
ketting was conducted orderly under I
the supervision of special detail of |
policemen under the command of Capt |
John Regain and Sergt. Charles Wheel
err no violence occurred.
At the local headquarters, 16 Wall |
street, it was said that regular strike |
benefits were being paid union men
and sympathizers were also being car
ed for.