The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-05
Union Men Insist That
 Lowest Bidder Get Work
Continued from Page One

men. If this firm gets the contract for this building they will give em- ploynent to a lot of outsiders but they won't be citizens of Bridgeport for all your citizens engaged in this trade, are members of the nnion."
 MT. O'Brien is a young man of blessing address and a clear and forcefuI speaker. He read a list of employees of Casey 6 Hurley whom he said had worked on the Bryant school and whom he said are strike breakers or workmen brought from other towns.
 '1f Casey & Hurley had been the low bidder on this job my organiza- ton would not have me here protest ing,' said Martin Kane, business agent for the Carpenters union.
 About ten years ago." he contin- ued. members of this firm started in to put the union organization of the building trades out of business. They haven't succeeded as yet but they have tried pretty hard. For a whole year this firm and other firms had a paid agent working right here trying to disrupt our organizations. They didn't succeed but they cost the unions hundreds Of dollars. We have new CT opposed any contract where this firm was low in its bid, but since men we are opposing them now be- cause their bid is not low. 4
 'sWe are all union men when you come right down to it. said Timothy W. Flanagan. business agent for the Carpenters union, Local 415. Most protection and we claim the same right to organize to protect our wages that the employers have to organize in their business In a dull season should say that Casey & Hurley might get enough non A 4E- -.N-L but in busy season should say they would not
 eve are now in Che midst of a good housing campaign but a work man can't live in a. good house unless he gets a living wage no matter how many campaigns you organize. Our organization stands for a living wage. Several of the firms who were engag- ed in the labor trouble of ten years ago have since become fair and are employing union labor. Casey & Hurley have had ample time to follow and they could find all the union men they want If they cared to do so.
 MT. Casey of Casey & Hurley said all his employees were residents of Bridgeport, and that his firm was willing to employ union men. He said:
 eat the inception of the strike ten years ago our union men left us and we were forced to find labor else where. At that time we were build ing a school house on the East Side and a store house for Logan Bros. Both buildings are still standing and about them will tell you that they are. we'll built.
 .sThis strike which began ten years ago is still going on but we are Hv- i is a strike. We claim the right to tsconduct our business according to our own best Judgment. If me- chauie comes to us for work we don't ask him whether he belongs to the union or not. All we want to know ing to employ union men and all our laborinE men and mechanics are resi- dents of Bridgeport ,'
 The board of charities later went l into executive session in the office Of Mayor Wilson to discuss the bids and the hearing and awarded the con tract to the out of town union con cern under this resolution:
 In view of the ordinances of the city 1 of Bridgeport passed by the common council and approved May 2S, 1908. lnauely awarded by such board to the lowest bidder
 l And whereas at the hour in the ad- vertisement set for the public open ! 41lS or Il10 a9AuS spO09SC(HO44 Nt<iS GAS@1C Dy one of the bona fde bidders to receiv- ing the bid of Casey & Hurley, the lowest local bidder. and next to the lowest of all bids received, on the ground that the terms of the adver- tisenert had not been adhered to in that 8 proposal bond was filed in place I of certified check, as required in the advertisement, and l Whereas, said bid of Casey & Hurley was laid upon the table and later con- f-sqz ak4z- ' the Board of Contract and Supply in executive session; and
 | Whereas the aforesaid ordinance of l the city provides s = the bids re- I ceived upon such public adYertise- ment, shall be publicly opened at a Iauthorfzed to make such contract; land
 Whereas, the said board of cfaari- I ties ana the said Board of Contracs and Supply were actuated in receiving said bids by the desire to show oon- taking this action in a desire to assisi them in any; eta1 way chat lay fn Itheir power it nevertheless finds it. Ise1f restrained by the ordinance fabove quoted. to consider only the lowest bidder; and
 | Whereas, it is the desire of the
 board of charities to obviate all tech
 nicaIities which might be raised
 against the awarding of the contract
 to any except the lowest bidder
 which would entail delay and a possi.
 bIe financial loss to the city, we deem
 1t the part Of wisdom to eliminate al legal entanglements and to expedits
 the work as rapidly as possible. Bs
 it therefore
 Resolved, that the bid of the 4osca.
 wanna Building Company, the Iowes
 bidders be accepted, and the contrac 1 be awarded to them. Be it. further.
 Resolved, That it is the desire ana urgent request of the board, that tn. said Oscawanna Building Company
 show every preference to our Bridge port merchants and mechanics in ob
 taining material and labor for tn,
 construction of said building.