New-York tribune., 1918-12-18
Carpenters Ask
$3.50 a Day.
Are Locked On,
Building Trades Employe,.
Said to Oppose Raise :.
Two Hotel Jobs Her.
Contractors Are Willi0s
Unionists Charge Attem,,
TO Forestall Movem.as. :,
for ''DoIIar an Hou,p

Union carpenters have been ,....,
out on construction on the Comr,.a.
and Pennsylvania hotels becaus. a..
demanded $3.50 day. The entire b,;'3 ''
ing trades of the city may be ass...s
The number of union carpents,.
of work is in dispute. Union off,,
say it is 600. Contractors put n. s
ure higher, estimates runniny f.
1000 to 1000. Iva
The situation is unique in l...
records. The firm of George 4 Fn',.
e. Co., which is erecting the two t.., '.
structures, is willing to pay the !,
creased wages. Warren g. Wetn..
architects for the Comm odore. and !.
Bowman Holding Company, Ow0s.
are likewise willing to stand the +
crease. On the Pennsylvania const,a.
ton, the owners, the Statler Hotel !.
terests, and the architects, Meg;r
Mead & White. have also show,
willingness to permit uninterruo,..
erection, even at the increased rate
The hitch has come in the New y.,.
Building Trades Employers Assoc,
ton, some Of whose members have ;,
timated, it is reported. that the ssss
rate had better not be pur into ess,.
Majority Win Demand
Inc majority Of carpenters, iioweye,
do not work for members of tha NJ
ployers' association, it is said. and A..
having little difficulty in getting 4.
$3.50 they demand Carpenters wo,s
ing for independents found that ths,
were being put on jobs at which feass
unlonlsts had struck because of IN.
Dlllty to get the increase. Union eth,
demanded that they strike in symnstb,
Dissatisfaction is spreading En-
ployers claim it is general moyensS.
to secure the six-hour workdav in tss
entire building trade. The union ms,
assert that movement is on foot "a
penallze the carpenters, and that nj,
VIII be accomplished By refusing to "a.
new working agreements with buil6n,
trade unions for the coming year. fOrc.
ing the latter TO bring pressure to bear
upon the carpenters and capitulatp n
the employers association.
NO secret is made of the fact th,,
the unions will seek to put the six-hou,
workday into effect, or, failing this ia
set an aday, "dollar-an-hou stand.
ard IN the entire building Industry
Present Situation Watched
If union men generally fail to rally
to the support of the locked-out car
penters, this failure viii be taken as
an indication of weakness and lack Of
unity among the building trades.
Already several other unions have
put out "feelers" to test the attitude Of
the employers association. The dis.
trict council of the painters unions
has demanded an increase in wages.
The board OF governors of the Build
ing Trades Employers Association sen.
back word that no increases would be
granted at present, not limiting their
statement to the specific request Of the
painters.
Most of the agreements governing
work on building construction expire
on December 81. The United Board Of
Business Agents of the Building Trade:
of Manhattan and Vicinity has named
a special committee to consider the re-
fusal of the board of governors Of tts
employers association to sign any new
agreements pending the outcome Of the
carpenters strike and lockout