South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-03
NJ GILL EXPLAINS
LABOR DIFFICULTY
Declares He's Friend of Unions
and Details Peculiar TangIe
Which Resulted in WaIkout
of Men Employed on Building

In answer TO charges that he has
been unfair to union labor made by
various leaders in South Bend and
through handbills and stickers dis
tributed throughout the city, j. P.
McGill. of the j. p McGill Furniture
Co, issued a statement Friday in
which he denied the allegations. He
also stated that he has asked for a
hearing before the meeting of the
general building trades council 70 be
held Friday night, when he wishes TO
present his side of the trouble which.
it is said, has resulted in an attempt
TO boycott the McGill store.
The difficulty arose in connection
with the erection of a new building
for the furniture concern on s Michi-
gan st. Due to the employment OF
three nOn-union painters, all other
members of organized labor who were
working on the building, went on
strike a week ago Wednesday. Mr..
McGirs stand in the matter, he stated
Friday, as follows:
Il am a friend of organized labor
and always have been. When the
contract for the remodeling of the new
building was let [ voluntarily specified
that union labor must be utilized on
every class of work in which union
men were available. Shortly after
this time a man by the name of
Beeler, presumably a walking dele
gate of the unions, came to me and
askel if union men would be employed
on che building. L replied that they
would.
Encounter Difficulty.
He returned later with the state
ment that the contractor had told him
the union laborers were not specified
[ il, Fr.sa., II Oh cd hi i'm
contract in which this was stipulated
and we took the matter up with the
contractor who had failed TO see this
provision He had already let the
painting contract. ] Immediately or
dered him TO dismiss all non union
laborers and Beeler promised me as
many union carpenters as necessary.
But eight union carpenters were
sent to the contractor and he needed
at least Is Later Beeler notified me
that two non-uniOn men were being
employed and they were dismissed at
my request. Again Beeler notified me
that three nOn-union painters were
working on the building and told me
that unless they were dismissed the
union men would quit work.
Had Let Contract.
''I took the matter up with the con-
tractor TO find that he had made the
contract with a local paint1Ng COM
panv before he had understood that
only union painters were to be en-
plOyed. We went to the painting com
pany and asked them to withdraw
their non-union men. They refused.
1t was impossible to break the con-
tract with them and Mr.. Beeler was
notified of this. In addition he was
asked for a solution OF the problem.
II also explained that unless we va
Gated our present location by July 10
we forfeited 40dO TO the Brandon
/ Durrell Co, and that the work on the
new building must be completed be-
/ fore that date. On Wednesday morn
men were withdrawn from the build
| ing. Thursday night committee,
presumably from headquarters. APP
peared before me and asked:
Mr.. McGill. are you satisfied with
| how things are going on your new
| building
Wants to Explain Facts.
II replied Yes, and the next day
/ the stickers and bills. labelling me as
unfair were distributed. My purpose
I in making this statement is to give my
side OF the affair in order that there
will be no mistaken impression. 1 am
and always have been perfectly will
I ing TO employ union labor but this
situation was a peculiar one. l have
done everything in my power to be
1 fair to the unions. 1 do not know
whether my hearing before the trades
council will prove effective but l am
certain that very few OF the labor
men know the true circumstances"