Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-21

the job by the organization of boiler
makers.
At the council meeting yesterday aft
ernoon, called to determine what legal
steps, IL any. the city could take to
force the Bridge and Iron concern TO
put on union men, representatives OF
the Boilermakers' union and City At
torney J. +. Writer were present.
City Attorneys Opinion.
City Attorney Witter stated that he
believed that the council could do moth
ing further TO stipulate the kind of
workmen TO be used on the job. since
a supreme court ruling held that there
could be no discrimination against
union or non-union labor. Mr.. witter
said that the council in the contract
went as strong as it could in stating
that union workmen on the Job were
preferred
The mayor then stated to the repre-
sentatives OF the union that II the
boiler makers did not believe that the
council had done everything in it's
power to place union men on the work.
that they could call in an attorney and
get his word for it.
A representative of the organization
in reply stated that the union men felt
that the commission was attempting TO
aid them, but called in Attorney Harry
McCaskrin, who agreed with the city
attorney that all had been done that
could be.
Explains Situation.
No representative of the Bridge and
Iron works was present. Walter a.
Rosenfield, president OF the concern,
today made the following statement.
''Inasmuch as The citizens of Rock
Island are TO pay for the tower and
tank we are erecting, they may be in
terested in 4 statement of the exact
facts in the present controversy with
the unions.
Article No. OF our contract with
the city reads: The contractor shall
at all times keep competent and capa-
BILE men on all parts of the work, and
the purchaser reserves the right to re-
quire the removal of such workmen,
as in the Judgment of the engineer are
detrimental 10 the best interests OF
the work, and such workmen shall not
be again employed on this work with
contractor shall employ local labor as
far as It may be practicable. and in
all cases local labor, either skilled or
unskilIed. shall have the preference. |
ether things being equal. However, /
the purchaser would prefer the use OF
union labor
we employed union men on this |
contract up TO the time they were call /
cd off the work by another union. We
are now employing men, most OF whom |
live in the city.
The entire controversy is one of \
Jurisdiction between unions. On work /
OF this character we employ members !
OF the Structural Iron Workers union. |
Our experience proves they are best |
adapted for aerial work. The boiler !
makers union claims the erection of 1
the tank belongs 20 them, and induced |
the structural union men to leave the /
job.
NO complaint has been made as
10 hours, wages or working conditions,
and no criticism has been offered by
the representatives of the city as TO
the character of the work or ability
of the workmen.
I'VE are Indifferent as to the partic-
ular union to which a man is affilia-
ted. All we demand is that the work
be done by our men in a manner sat
TO the contracting parties.
The boile-makers demand they be
given the balance of the work and that
we discharge those now on il.
AS We see it, there are three prop
1sitions open to US, any one Of which
we will accept upon the passage of
suitable resolutions by the commits
lion:
Discharge the men now employed
N the work Cthe majority OF them
i've in the city and are tax payers,
md pu- bOilermakers on the job.
Permit the city TO complete the
.reCtion. in which event we will make
reduction of the exact amount of
iur estimate TO complete The structure.
DO the work ourselves and in our
,wn way"