The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-28
Hooslck FALLS STRIKES
Labor Troubles In Village Apparently
On the Increase.

The Hoosick Falls Democrat o
Wednesday published the following:
The labor aspect in this village
took on another aspect YESTERDAY
morning when forty-three employees
Of the press room of the Specially
Insulation Manufacturing company
refused to take up their duties at the
beginning of the day. There is much
of mystery connected with the cause
of the strike One source of infor-
nation has it that four employees,
who had been absent from their
duties on Monday, were called to the
office to explain their absence. This
they refused to do, and also refused
to take up their duties. They were
Immediately followed by the other
employees of the room. Mrs. Mary
Scully, the labor organizer, later had
conference with the management of
the company but nothing came of it..
1t appears that the four men who
were called to the office were mem
bers of committee that had been
named at a union meeting to present
demands on the company. The de-
mands had not been presented and
it is said the men thought they were
being Disseminated against by the
company for their unionost activities.
Nearly all the men affected by the
strike were well-paid employees, their
wages ranging higher than $24 a
week, while only few We're working
for as low as 50 day What the
outcome of the situation will be is
hard TO imagine. The company has
a number of orders on hand, and it is
possible that the present contracts
will be completed
Thus far there have been little de-
velopments in the trouble between
the moulders OF the malleable and
gray iron foundries of the Wood com
pany. The committee appointed last
week by President Putnam of the
Chamber of Commerce has thus far
failed to bring about conference to
have the matter discussed. Both
sides remain firm in their respective
attitudes, and today there is no more
sign of a settlement of the matter
than when it started. The malleable
and gray iron moulders have meet
ings every morning in Hibernian hall
where roll call is had and the situa
ton discussed.
"The laboiers of the malleable
shops have been organized, and near.
ly all the men have become members
of the union. A demand Of $2.75 a
day for nine hours work, double time
for Sundays, time and a half for
overtime and extra money for shift
ing was presented to the company
Saturday was the last day for the
company to file an answer, but II APP
pears that no answer was filed and
no action has been taken by the men
or their leaders.
"The shutdown of the Superior
Manufacturing company's plant has
tended to divert attention from that
situation. The plant will reopen
next week, when it is thought the EN-
ployees will receive an increase of
ten per cent in their wages,
1.-THE appearance in the village last
week of James b. Roach, general or
ganizer of the American Federation
of Labor, added spirit to the efforts
of the organizers who have been here
since the trouble started. The plans
of the organizers call for the com
plete organization Of oil the working
people in the town Meetings are
being held several nights week,
different classes of workers being in
attendance on various nights. The
organizers appear determined to
make a full job of their undertaking
and claim that all workers will be
organized before their efforts cease"