New Britain herald., 1917-07-16
SKINNER CHUCK 60.
 EMPLOYES STRIKE
Demand 10 Per Cent. Wage h.
 crease and 10 Per Cent. Bonus OFFICIALS > NOT ALARMED
Strikers Also Demand Time Clock Re-
 adjustment and Five Minutes Time
 in Which to Wash Up-StIikc the
 Work of NotOricty Seekers?

Upwards of 167 workmen, includ- ing machtnists, lathe hands, grinders and filers, went on strike at the Skin ner Chuck company factory today, leaving their tools and machines at II a. m. and gathering this afternoon in the, Calumet building where their alleged grievances against the com- pany were thoroughly discussed. Factory officials have declined to comment officially on the strike and express an opinion that it will not last long. The striking workmen, who are acting in 8 perfectly or derly manner, are headed by Conrad Schwarm, who stated before their meeting this afternoon that certain demands made to the company Sat- urday had not been acted upon.
 Strikers Demands.
 According to MT. Schwarm, pe- tition was presented to the factory officials on Saturday morning asking for an increase of 10 per cent. in wages, a 10 per cent bonus, five minutes time in which to wash up and a regulation of the time clock. MT. SchWarm stated that the officials were given until this noon to consider the demands, but declined to act upon them collectively, although they did express a, willingness to consider in dlvidual demands. According to the strikers about 167 men have left their work, leaving the tool makers and shipping clerks as. practically the only workers left at the factory. The toolmakers were not invited to strike, the leaders said. The general com mlttee in charge of the strike was named by MT. SchWarm as composed of himself, Benjamin Cohen, repre- senting the drill chuck room;' N. w. Stoddard, representing the lathe room; Benja min Levanthal represent ing the grinding room: and C. M. Birge, representing the filing depart ment.
 The wage increases asked by the strikers are plain. but their reference to the time clock regulations reuuired some explanation on their part Their contention is that the time clock at the factory is two minutes fast and when man rings up time he is registered as late and loses an hour and twelve minutes. This is denied at the factory. The demand for five minutes to wash Up before quitting l1LlC IS dlSO pldlu
 Officials Doubt Dissatisfaction.
 While the factory officials would not issue formal statement regarding the strike, it was intimated that the situation is not regarded as serious. The only comment made by the heads of the concern was that several de- partments stopped work at II o'clock this morning and walked out. On Sat urday, it was stated, requests for re- adjustment were made but inasmuch as the Skinner Chuck company has always made a practise of adjusting wages with each individual man, no attention has been given the demands that every worker be considered col lectively.
 It was furthermore stated that: "Proba bly most of the men will be at work again soon as it would appear that only very few were really disat- isfied with their wages or working con- ditions, but were drawn into the strike by a few who were actuated either by excitement or a desire to ob- tain notoriety." Further than this, and a reinsurance that the strike is not as serious as one would be led to sup CTS nor Treasurer F. J. Skinner, who was called back from the seashore by the report, had anything to say. They did however remark that they did not think that there were more than 125 men on strike at the most.