New Britain herald., 1915-07-17
GENERAL STRIKE OF
MACHINISTS MONDAY
Gen. Manager Of Remington Arms
Go. Turns Down Committee.

Bridgeport, July III. ]. Keppler,
international vice president OF the
.Machinists' Union, who headed a
plant Of the Remington Arms COM
pany to present the demands formu-
lated by strike meeting Of the
Bridgeport machinists last night, an
nounced today that a general strike
of machinists would be called on
Monday. He said Major Walter Pen
field, general manager Of the Reming-
ton Arms and Ammunition company
had refused to deal with the commit
tee
According to Mr.. Kepp1er and John
johnson. vice president of the Struc-
tural Iron Workers, who went to the
Remington plant as committee rep
resenting the machinists, they had
been Informed that the Remington
Arms and Ammunition company mad
no reason to deal with the committee
Of the unioa until the machinists in
the Remington shops actually were
affected.
Special Meeting Tonight.
A special meeting of the machin-
lists has been called for tonight when
the result Of the committees trip
to the Remington plant will be made
known to the members. Special
meetings of several other unions hav-
ing men working in the Remington
plants were also called for tonight.
Difficulty Passing Guards.
The two members of the commit
tee they said, had some difficulty in
passing the guards around the plant
1t was for that reason their return to
the headquarters of the union was de-
layed. When they finally reached
the office of Major Penfield, they
promptly entered into conference with
him. The conference was brief
one. 1t ended abruptly when Major
Penfeld informed the committee that
his employees had in no way been af-
fected SO far and that until they were
he did not deem it necessary to con-
slider the demands made upon the
company 1
It was stated at the headquarters
of the union this afternoon that ac-
cording to the present plans, the |
machinists would walk out at noon |
on Monday. At the various meetings ).
called for tonight it was further said, i
demands for the workers in the vari-
Gus shops of the .sub-contractors Of the i
Remington company in Bridgeport to
sumbit Ito their individual employers |
would be outlined. Shorter hours |
and union recognition will be, it is
stated, included in the |
demands 1t was considered improb- |
able that the workers in sub-contract- |
ing plants would be called out unless
the proposed walk out in the Reming-
ton shops should prove Intellectual
The first proposition was that the !
striking millwrights be taken back to !
work as members Of metal trades
union instead of that of the carpeE-
tiers. If this should be refused a de-
mand for double time for overtime, !
an eight hour day, union recognition |
and a minimum wage was to be
made.
Pattern Makers Strike
The strike situation in Bridgeport
was still more complicated today by
the walking out Of the pattern mex
ers at the Lake Torpedo Boat COM
pany 1t was said ali the company's |
offices that only eleven men had quit.
They demanded an increase in wages
of three cents an hour. They now re-
ceive forty-four cents. They demand
forty-seven cents.
Pickets have been stationed in the
neighborhood of the Lake plant by
the pattern makers.