The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-24
CALL STRIKES
 IN THREE BIG
 LOCAL PLANTS
Ccontinucd from Page one)

morrow is set for walk out at the American Chain Co.
 The corset workers of the Crown Batchellor. the La Ecsista and the plants are stir out. as the officials of these companies did not come to final agreement yester- day as was expected.
 The trouble in the corset factories Is over the method of electing the shop committees. The management of the Ia Rcslsta and the other com panies insist on their right to control the election of these committees.
 Tickets were on duty all day in the neighForhood of the Columbia Graph ophonc factory. The strikers who wore not on picket duty held q meet ing at Rakozz tiall on Bostwick ave nue and listened to addresses by a number of men Identified with the WorSmcu's Intcrna tional Industrial Union who have charge of this strike About every half hour bodies of men and women would enter the hall and amid great cheering announcement would be made that another room had joined the strikers.
 At the Bryant Electric plant a large number of employees left their work at . o'cock last night and a o'clock this morning picket lines [. When none of the workers entered the shop the strikers with great cheering went to MaChl-istg hall to hold meeting. It was discovered that this hall was no. large enough and an adjournment was taken to Colonial hall on Fairfield avenue where committee was selected to present the demands of the workers to the officials of the company.
 c. W. GoodridEc, assistant super inteudcnt of the comps ny. said that he had made a very fair offer to the employees through the regular shop committees. inc,ud5us an average in- crease of 29 per cent. Tn wages. but that the company would not agree to 4i-hour week. no- would he deal with committees of any labor organ ization.
 Tho labor leaders said that an offer of a small raise had been made. that Eirlse who were receiving 22 cents an hour were offered 32 cents but that those receiving 32 cents an hour were refused an increase, and the proffer made was 90 unsatisfactory that the employees decided to strike.
 The committee of the Remington Yost plant presented the demands of the workmen to the company this morning at 9 o'clock and not rsceiv- ing satisfa ctory concessions called the entire force out at 11:39 o'clock
 IT. O. C. Tsenburg. General Mana ger of the factory issued a statement 10 the employees in which he expressed desire to arbitrHte the A hour week proposition with an increase in wages. time and a half for overtime and dou- ble time for Sundays and holidays He stated he would he willing at any time to take the matter up with committee of the Nost employees only.
 At the Columbia Graphophone fac tory R. R. Mead. superintendent said that the company had made an offer 10 accept the A hour week with an increase fin wages that would make the weekly pay the same as it is now. That is he offered workers who are receiving 42 cents an hour 46 cents an hour and A hour week. said he believed that an amica ble settle ment would be reached with the work men before the end of the week. and that there would be no further strikes here.
 The Federation of Labor Is busy through the through the Womeu's Park City local of the Machinists' union in or-anizing the wGr1en work
  workers arc being organized in Federal Union of the Federation of Labor.
 Nearly all of the men and women who have left the shops are joining these unions or the local of the workmen's International Industrial Union, which i1 known as the W. l. I. U.. The officials Of the Federation of Labor claim it is an offshoot of the I. W. W. with headquarters in Detroit.
 Louis Lakowitz. organizer of tho W. I. I. IT., says his organiza ton has nothing to do with the I. ". w. and has no hostility to the Federation of Labor Ira S. Orr4s--rn. secretary of the State Federation of Labor. says the Federation is greatly opposed to the w. I. U.. the fight of the Federa tion against 1t being more intense than that against the manufacturers.
 The following statement was issued this morning by George s. Hawley, attorney for the Bridgeport Manutac- turers Association:
 have been asked for a statement on the attitude of the Manufacturers 'assocfn ton on the hour week.
 The real issue is not the A hour week. but the preservation of sound principles for the settlement of diff ferences.
 At the instance of the T 1vernme n : the manufacturers. unless other prop CT methods already existed. installed the employees committee plan which provides reasonable machinery for the adJustment of differences. The management and employees in these factories have since been working un- der conditions which involve an ac- ceptance of that plan. This associa - ton insists that these methods of ad- justrIlent be used rather than the ar bitrary calling of strikes; the attitude apparently being to strike first and neRotiate after. We will emphat- iically resist such methods in order ts protect the public against the vicious and wasteful practice of strikes. No group of workers will be permitted to profit by unnecessary or premature strikes.
 The question of the A hour week is not such a question as calls for sudden action. Our association definitely and positively believes that under present; economic conditions it's adoption