The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-22
RUBBER WORKERS
 AT SIEMON PLANT OUT ON STRIKE
Demand Made for Higher Wages and Abolition of
 Piece Work System.
SIEMON DECLARES
 STRIKE UNNECESSARY
Says He Is Willing to Meet Workers and Submit Cues
 tions to Arbitration.

At meeting of the Rubber Work CTS Union in their lodge rooms, BIO Fairfield avenue, last night, 1t was voted 89 to for the workers em- ployed by the Siemon Hard Rubber Co. to strike for higher wages. Those out are 15O men and women.
 This action was taken, according to J. Torrusi, president of the union, after their grievances had been sub mitted to the American Federation of Labor and had been approved by that body.
 At o'clock this morning a mass meeting of the workers, including women, was called to order in the lodge rooms and it was voted unani;- mously to remain on strike until the demands made by the strikers are granted by the Siemon Rubber Go.
 The workers want a five cent an hour increase of wages, with the abo- lition of the piece work system, time and a half for overtime, and double
 
 The rubber workers claim their work is entitled to more consideration from the employers and that the present scale is inadequate to meet living conditions. They also claim they have presented their plea to Carl Siemon, head of the company, and have been refused consideration by l him. Therefore there was nothing for them to do. but to appeal to the American Federation of Labor for their support. This support they have received and they will remain | out on strike until the Siemon com | pany recognizes their claims. 1 When seen at his home today Mir | Siemon said that the men who have 1 gone on strike have been receiving a scale of pay varying from 50 to 5 cents an hour for piece work and 8 | daily rate of 45 cents an hour. They apparently do not want the piec, work scale, but want to change to 2 daily scale of 50 cents an hour.
 Continuing, MT. Siemon said: IA you know, we are engaged at tht present time in manufacturing 75 pel cent government work. We are alsc doing most if not all the heavy insula ton work for tie American Bell Tele phone Co.,, which, as you can readil! see, is just as urgent governmen work today as the making of rifle! or munition. The men are receiving top wages and in fact are receiving more than they are going on strike tt get.
 Their main idea, as far as I cal see. is to change the schedule from ; piece work basis to that of dail! basis The reason for this move oi their part is not quite clear eXcep
 that it might be they would not hav' to produce as much to get the sam
 money. I am always ready and will
 ing to treat with the workers in m.
 plant and stand ready tt do the fai
 and square thing by them. I thinl
 that their action in going on strike a the present time Is both unfair to tn nation and unfair to themselves.
 Their work is needed at the pres ent time and needed badly and think that If they had any real griev ance 1t could be arranged in the sam manner as the dispute of the machin
 ists. I think the matter can be ad . justed by arbitration and that it i both foolish and disloyal at the pres
 ent time to try to tie up any govern ment work by striking"