New-York tribune., 1919-11-06
Men Called Out in Fight for
the Union Represent All
Grades. From Pharmacists
to Soda Water Dispensers
Public Health Is Guarded
Arrangements Made to Fill
Prescriptions: Hospitals
and Clinics Not Affected

rum rex otefeU pharmacists 10 SOFA
dispensers, have been called upon TO
strike at O'Clock this morning by the
United Drug Clerks. Local 1926, afiG-
sted with the American Federation Of
fabor.
Although il is believed Che strike
AL affect most of the $500 drug
s'o,es in the city, there probably will
oe plenty Of places where prescriptions
car be filled to-day. Most drug store
Tronretors are registered pharma
c'sts, and these have been requested BY
Or. ROYAL 5. Copeland, Health Com
missioner. 70 take over the work of the
inscription counter if their clerks
cave. Pharmacists in hospitals and
clinics nave not been ordered out
The employing pharmacists have
promised me that when the strike comes
every branch Of the drug business but
The prescription department. will he a
secondary consideration DR.. Copeland
said yesterday Therefore do not
anticipate that The public will suffer
,1eatly because Of the strike. espe-
eial,y IS there Is now less disease in
ehe city than there has been for years.
The cou dn't have picked time to
strike when il would have done less
damage 10 the public than now
VIII Protect Public
Charles A AFenkraut, attorney for
he strikers, said that if an epidemic Of
Any kind breaks out the strike immo-
datoiy Will be called oN.
The LEADERS, OF The men have post
oored 'he strike for weeks to avoid in
convenience TO the public Mr AFen-
lraut sad We have made every Ell
ort 20 settle the matter without il
strike srd we DO not wish 70 cause
trouh 20 tho people i We can avoid
-
Dr. Copeiaud declared that if the
,rlke IS general the Health Depart
inent wili Hnd Out where in each neigh
oo1hood there is d registered pharma-
cist who can fill descriptions, and viii
publish 9 list Of such PAGES.
r. IS expected that the chain drug
torres, such as those operated by the
Louis h Liggett Company. viii suffer
most from the strike, because they
nave 10 registered pharmacists eNcept
,heic employees. George N. Gales
president Of the I.ieges. company. how
ever. issued 8 statement that he did not
oClicve 'hc strike would be effective.
Threats of this strike have been
n-rding 'or some time Mr. Gales said
We do not believe any considerable
1amter o{ our employees Will partici-
pate. The public may be assured that
p1r drug stores viii remain open and
'lE aqUipped III al lines
MON Recognition Sough,
TIE trouble has arisen over recogni-
ION o. the union. In g long series Of
conferences, in which il was attempted
q settle the controversy by arbitration,
'he employers refused 10 recognize q
labor union including the prescription
clerks, who, they said. should consider
.heinselvs professional men and not IA
lorers.
we do not wish to be faced with the
prospect of the prescription clerks go
.ng out on a sympathetic strike az the
rall OF labor leaders" said the employ-
srs. In reply 70 this objection L. I.
Baker. president Of the Retail Clerks
International Protective Association,
who is here from Lafayette, Ind, 80
lead the strike, IS said TO have prom
ICED that the United Drug Clerks Will
rot strike IN sympathy with any organ
}lation. The differences are so triv-
ta said Commissioner Cope land, who
attempted to arbitrate, that # II we're
not for a certain radical element among
the clerks the differences might be
perfectly harmonized.'
M Atfeukraut, the union attorney,
also admitted that the differences in
volved we're Slight. but blamed the OBJ
etinacy OF the employers for the failure
o reach an understanding.
The men ask Il salary increase Of
about % per cent. an eisht-hour day
sad recognition of the union with col
isctlte bargaining.
Employers Attitude
Tne following is the attitude OF the
Employers. as expressed by the strike
committee Of the New York pharma-
ceu-ica. conference to Or. Cope and
The Only difference between a
pharmacist and his employer is a mat
Ter % bank account. They are both
professional men. Therefore, i is
necessary TO draw Il strict line of de
narcat.ou between the pharmacists on
tho one hand and the counter clerks,
soda water clerks, porters, cashiers
snd suudry .Alesmen on the othcr.
The New York Pharmaceutical Con-
.erence will be glad 70 recognize q pro
Fessional organization Of pharmacists
and JUNIOR pharmacists Of all grades.
4 is further willing to deal with such
~ organization collectively and to
sduit 70 equal standing the delegates
of TINS organization as members OF the
New York Pharmaceutical Conference.
"The committee is opposed to q
c.osed shop of any class of employees
and will not recommend TO the New
1Ork RnarnuCeitlC8l conference the
iaea OF closed shop. But It IS will
ing 70 consider collective bargaining
and 20 discuss with representatives OF
any union of non professional em-
ployees OF drug stores any questions
relating 70 salary, hours or any other
matter OF mutual interest
In reply to the offer of the EN-
plo ers 70 recognize Il professional or
ganization Mr. Affenkraut said that for
three Years, before the United Drug
Cierks were organized, there was g pro
tessiona lnion Of pharmacists. The
employers, according 10 Mr. Atfcnkraut,
made no wage or tme concessions to
'his organization. The pharmacists, he
said, then decided to Join ~ labor union.
Says Few Make Trouble
Robert s. Lehman, chairman Of the
Ways and means committee of the New
ork Pharmaceutical Confere nee, yes
1Hrday issued d statement further ex-
pialnlng the attitude of the organiza-
non
We think the statements in regard
20 the present working conditions in
ne retail prescription pharmacies are
somewhat eNaggeratcd,' he said, land
'iat the dissatisfied element represents
minority III those stores
me proprietors feel that they will
ne aoie to cope with the situation as
now exists, for with "A little extra
rorK on their part and the help of the
i ~ AS VINO are not concerned in the