The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-11
ELECTRIC WORKERS MAY
CALL STRIKE TOMORROW
Contractors Must Agree to Terms Of
Union, or 100 Men WIN walk Out
and Leave Serious situation.
WANT EIGHT-HOUR LAW.
Must Have so Centc An Hour, Time
and n Half for Overtime. and
Double Pay On Holidays-Union
Organizer Is In City.

Unless the electrical contractors Of
the city agree to the demands made by
the electrical workers here, about 100
men Will walk out tomorrow morning,
and a serious situation in the building
CONSTRUCTION in the city may follow.
1t is said that when the electrical
workers strike other union men en-
gagged In work on buildings will also
lay down their tools II non-union men
are brought IN to take the places of
the strikers.
Yesterday morning local union 666
OF the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers took final action
by addressing a communication to the
ing the terms on which the men would
continue their work. and II the con-
tractors do not indicate a willingness
to treat with the men before $50
meet at that hour to complete plans
for tho walkout tomorrow.
Ask Eiwht-Hour Day.
The electrical workers are asking FOR
ar eight-hour day. with a wage scale
OF so cents an hour. time and half
to be paid for all hours over eight
and double time for holidays and sun
days. AT present there Is no scale
wage. the men receiving from So to
Sa,5o a day.
1t is declared by W. P. Nebiett, bust
ness agent of the electrical union here.
that jobs can be obtained by the work
ers here in other cities within three
and half hours distance, and that.the
men will ieaye the city unless the
demands are met. Already in Baltt-
more, Washington and Philadelphia
the contractors are paying SO per cent
more wages than the workers are re-
ceivins in Richmond. In these cities
and many others number of Jobs are
open and men are wanted. hence the
electricians will not hesitate to leave
the city. thus making il impossible for
the contractors here TO get men for
the work 10 be done. Other union
workers on buildings will refuse TO
work with strikebreakers. and II any
are imported and put to work, a gem
erai walkout OF men in allied unions
will follow.
II the strike liz declared. II will only
affect men employed on buildings IN
course OF construction, and Will not
apply to electricians employed In the
various industries and plants in the
city.
Inferno fieuaI Organiser Here.
j ]. Purcell, organizer OF the Inter
rational Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers. has been In the city several
days trying to avert the strike He
says that il was clearly brought about
by the contractors. who have consist
emily refused to treat with the men
II is said they have NJ no time rec
ognized the existence OF the Union.
and would not meet officers Of the
organization.
Contracting electricians say that they
have had no difficulties in their shops
and that no complaint was heard until
the recent agitation of the matter.
They also claim that they are paying
a satisfactory wage and that none of
the contractors here will meet the de-
mands OF the electricians. The final
meeting OF the union will be held In
the Labor temple. Fifth and Marshall
streets this afternoon at $3.50 o'clock.