New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-26
Employers Notified That
1900 Men Will Wait
No Longer
Secretary of Labor
Fails to Mediate
Owners Still Firm in Re-
fusaI to Discuss Wage
Increase with Unions

senting 10000 men employed III snip
I'd, in New York and New Jersey, ad-
5-.s.sd an ultimatum yesterday TO
,vsntv.one Of the larger shipbuilding
cr-,s ard corporations fixing Saturday
=. the limit beyond which they would
M. wait 70 adjust grievances before
..r;t;rr They ask an increase OF so
cents day.
How serious the situation is may be
Judged from the fact that Secretary OF
Thor William 3. Wilson spent Friday
and Saturday of last week in confer
srce with the employers in fruitless
,4ort 20 induce them to meet with the
men. At his request orders for strike
yesterday we're withheld and the letter
postponing action until next Monday
was sent.
The trades directly involved in the
strike threat are the shipbuilders'
boilermakers, blacksmiths, machinists
and rattern makers. In addition, many
electricians. ship carpenters and pipe
filters are expected to join in any sus-
rension Of work.
The ultimatum Of the unions IS the
end Of efforts begun a year ago to-day
10 secure conference either with IN
6iv;dual employers or the Metal Trades
Association Of which they are members
with view TO adjusting prices and
rH ~
agents OF the Department Of Labor
have ioined. Last week the situation
reached such a point that Secretary
Wilson telegraphed the employers
asking them to meet him in Wash
ington. OF the score invited seventeen
sent representatives. AT the end OF the
meetings Mr.. Wilson notified the labor
men that he had failed.
Ask $3.50 a Day Minimum
The demands call fer $3.50 a day as
The minimum wage.
That is the scale that is being paid
by the government in it's own ship
YARDS" a representative Of the unions
sgid last night. az the employers feel
that they want the government 10 take
over and operate their yards We have
no objections. All we ask is the rate
the government: Will give US. That is
what we have been seeking for more
than a year
The concerns TO which the ultlmatum
was sent by registered mail yesterday
include such yards as the Morse Dry
Dock and Repair Company and the
Robbins Dry Dock and Repair Com
psny. of Brooklyn; the Teitgen &
Longs Dry Dock and Repair Company,
Of Hoboken: the New Jersey Dry Dock
Company, Of Elizabeth: the McWill-
isms Dry Dock Company, of Staten
Island, and the Theodore Smith e. Sons
Boiler Company, Of Jersey City. Most
Of these are engaged in repair work.
but substantially all Of them are
builders Of boilers and machinery for
use in ships building in yards as far
South as Newport News and North 10
Bath. Nc. Some. however. are pre-
rared % do new ship construction.
In addition 20 the Moore Ship Build
ing Company, OF Elizabeth, y. J., the
General Ship Building Company, OF
Shooters Island. and the Staten Island
snip Building Company, all engaged IN
new ship construction, some OF II for
government account, are on the list o.
those 70 whom the ultimatum went.
Henry C. Hunter. Of the Metal
Trades Association. has been the rep
rcsentatve Of the employers IN the
Efforts OF the men 20 obtain confer
erces. He was absent from his Offices
~ 80 Church Street yesterdaya.
Letter Urges Meeting
ne ultimatum, sent 70 the employ
ing hrms By registered letter yester-
DAY. reads IS follows:
In the Interests OF Industrial peace,
We, the representatives of the metal
,raoes affiliated with the Marine Trades
Nouneil of New York and New Jersey
haroort. have come 20 the conclusion
nay y Is our duty in behalf of the
~n'teo states 20 make one more effort
20 confer with your company with ref
etence = an increase in wages and the
naturalization Of conditions which
prevail DO your plant.
10 realize mat you are not IN
"lnliul o. the fact that the repre-
sentstlves % the men employed by
your company have in the past year
made every effort in person and
through the Department OF Labor 20
oring about a harmonious understand
iag IN order that We may be placed in
position 20 avoid industrial contro-
yersies during the crisis which con-
fronts our government in It's connec-
tion Ti'n the European war. We de-
plore the fact that you have denied
" that privilege. and we trust that
you Will give this last request your
individual attention.
See Peril in Strike
We desire 20 impress upon you that
general suspensicn Of work on the
Per' % your employcs in the ship
building industry In The New York and
Nsw JerSey harbOrs az this critical
moment in the history Of our country
would have far reaching material ef
fteis and materially interfere with the
govtrnrnent'g ship-building programme.
Win the general situation in mind we
again request you 70 arrange % meet
ne representatives of your employees
before the expiration of 'he week end
ing june 10.
"In ths event that you dem IL advis-
able 80 continue your policy ~ nom
conference the responslbility for the
fss1l' must rs,t with your company"
william Dickson, president Of the
ssHyen 81 Dsl1s<s