The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-08-30
HoosIcK FALLS STRIKE
Little Progress Being Made Toward
Settlement.

Inasmuch as the strikers in Hoo
sick Falls are trying hard to involve
the Il z Waist company and other
mills in Bennington the following
from the lIoosick Falls Democrat
relative to the strike situation over
there will be of interes,:
Treasurer Clark of the Superior
Manufacturing company issued a
statement last week in which he de-
fined his position in the strike stu
alton The statement reviewed the
labor situation with the Superior
Manufacturing company from the
strike of the knitters Of the company
on June IS to the present time. He
denied that number of employees
had beer discharged, but asserted
that their layoff was only temporary,
and was occasioned by lack of work
they perform. He emphasized the
fact that the Superior Manufacturing
company In this village and its allied
concerns in Bennington. Cambridge
and Greenwich would steadfastly re
fuse to recognize any organization o.
its employees of any nonresident
union organizer However, the
statement adds. the company stands
ready at all times to listen to and
adjust as far as possible the demands
made by any of the employees, either
individually or collectively
John Coburn, the man around
whom the trouble with the company
seems to revove, also issued state.
ment in which be denied that the
Superior company was asked To
recognize the union in the demands
which were made when the walk-out
occurred. The demand did not in
clude shorter hours or an increase in
wages, but merely a reinstatement Of
the employees, who the strikers con
tend, were discharged for their
unlonist activities. He contends that
IL is the right of Americans to enjoy
freedom, liberty and equal rights
and that the company is wrong in re
fusiDg to allow its employees to be
come affiliated with unions.
The evident determination of both
sides to the controversy would indi-
cate little hope of an immediate set
tlement of the matter. There are
a number of employees still at
work in the mill, and these are kept
busy on immediate orders. The
strikers have daily meetings, and
their organization has been perfect
ed.
The labor leaders have heen ac
tive in Bennington, Cambridge and
Greenwich, where the company also
operates mills, but what success has
attended their efforts is not known.
Superintendent Bateholts of the
Specially company yesterday issued
a statement in which he denied that
| the trouble with the employees was
| because of failure of the company
| to live up to the terms on which the
men recently returned TO work. The
Speciality company, II seems, inaugu
rated nine hour day with ten hour
pay, provided there was no lost time
In case a man lost time during tn,
week. he also lost the bonus of Tho
nine hour q day proposition. The
shop closed at noon on Saturdays du
ing the month, the men being pait
for fifty hours work. provided there
was no lost time. The management
also announced that beginning Sep
tember the shop would be run on
straight nino.hour basis, Saturday In
cluded, and that those who worke'
a full week would receive pay for tn
six hours off at the regular day rate
The new arrangement, the manage
ment asserted, was to encourage ful
working weeks by the employees, an
was more than the company agree
to do With the men who had gon
out on strike some time ago
President Joseph b. Valentine {
the International Moulders' union
expected here this week to attemT
an adjustment of the disagreement
between the Walter A. Wood con
pany and its moulders in the gra
and malleable foundries Vice Pre-
ident OLeary has been In Hoosic
Falls on several occasions of lat
but his visits have not resulted
any settlement being reached.