The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-10-05
More Than 5000 Men Already on
Strike in Schenectady
SOME HOPES or COMPROMISE
J. j. Keppler, Who Heads Machinests
Movement, says Men Are Ready
to Consider Terms.

Schenectady, N. Y, Oct. 4-More
than 5000 union workers, comprising
about two-thirds of the employees of
the General Electric company, quiet
ly went on strike here today for an
eight-hour day They have been
working ten hours.
Union leaders, including j. j. KEEP
pier, vice president of the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists, de
clare that every union man in the
plant will be ont by tomorrow night.
Should this situation arise it is gen
orally conceded a complete tie up
would result. The non-union en-
ployes are few.
Despite this pessimistic forecast,
however, there is strong rumor cur
rent tonight that a compromise prob
ably will be affected Mr.. Keppler
said that the maehinists, who took
the initiative in the strike today,
were willing to consider compro-
mise, and in the past George Il. En-
mons, General Manager OF the plant,
Always ConltiItu ICcLy WIN MS ciii
ployes.
Although the strike is part of the
general movement OF machinists to
obtain the eighthour day while war
orders are plentiful they have little
to do with the local situation. The
plant has possibly 300 men employed
in making small shells, Mr.. Emmons
said tonight, and it has no large war
orders in reserve.
Mr. Keppler came here about five
weeks ago and aunched an eight
hour movement. After he left com
mittee from the Metal Trades Al
lance took up the shorter working
day proposal with the company. Mr.
Emmons offered the men n nine and
one.half-hour day and a per cent in
crease in the wages OH Oct. l. and a
nine-hour day and an additional per
cent increase year hence The
committee accepted the proposal and
the company considered the matter
closed.
The machinists, however, despite
the fact that they were represented
on the committee, denied its right to
close the agreement, and voted to
strike About 1900 machinists were
the first to walk out this morning.
Other workers from all the thirteen
unions save the coremen, molders.
and pattern makers followed. Accord
ing to Mr. Keppler, the molders al,
ready are working, less than ten
hours day, and their remaining in
the plant is of little concern to the
strikers.
at is true that we are represented
on the Alliance committee Mr.. Kep
pier said. in explaining the strike of
the machinists. but our delegate GER
tainly did not speak for his men
when he agreed to the compromise.
The strike today shows that
No violence was reported today and
the police say they eXpect the strike
to proceed in an orderly fashion
Mayor. Schoolcraft gave the men per-
mission to hold mass meetings in
Crescent Park for five days. At
meetings there and in union halls to-
day and tonight unoin leaders urged
the workers not to resort to violence.
These appeals were applauded.
With only about 10 per cent. of the
members dissenting. the Pattern Max
ers' Union voted tonight to strike to-
morrow Less than 200 of this class
of workers are employed.
Around Union headquarters tonight |
the report was current that union
employees of the American Locomot- |
i've company and the Westinghouse |
makers of farm implements |
might join the strike This story was |
generally discounted, however, in 9th
or quarters.