The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-15
CONTRACTORS AND
LABOR UN|ONSAT
DIVIDING POINT
Organized Labor Insists Upon
Union Working Card SyS-
tenn - Builders Exchange
and Employers Oppose II.

me movement for the adoption by
al the building trades unions In Mem
PMS OF the building trades union card
ana tne requirement that every worker
on every building job must hold such
card will be discussed further at an
open meeting of the Building Trades
council Tuesday night.
It is not the intention Of the leaders
OF the building trade unions to put this
new rule into effect on contracts that
snlorce 1t on contracts upon which bids
nave already been prepared and en-
tered, but to have 1t apply to all new
contracts after the first OF next month.
Ihe movement was begun several
months ago and has been submitted for
= TeIerendum vote to all the affiliated
unions which are members of the
bullding Trades council Reports from
number OF these unions probably will
De made Tuesday night.
Inc rule requiring the building trades
card viii not be put into effect unless
! ls indorsed by a majority OF the un-
ions, but it is said that all but three
or four have already voted in favor OF
the proposed rule.
Opposed by Exchange.
Members of the Builders exchange,
the affiliated organization known as the
General Contractors association and
have gone on record as being unal-
terably opposed to the proposed building
trades card.
At a meeting of the Builders ex-
change Monday night after prolonged
discussion, the exchange members voted
that the members of the Builders ex-
change are unalterably opposed to the
uniform working card and will use all
the power at their command to prevent
the enforcement OF such card aya-
tenn"
Resolutions adopted Saturday by the
employers, association state that the
Employers association Of. Memphis is
opposed to the introduction of the uni
form working card; that the organiza-
tion of common or unskilled labor into
trades unions is contrary to the best
interests of this community that eff
10 forts 80 being made s TO to prevent this action
council have our Endorsement and our
pledge of support"
If the intention of the Building Trades
council is carried out, as seems prob
able, this attitude on the part of the
two associations mentioned. will bring
the disagreement to test by Aug. 1.
change Monday night, ID. r. Buffaloe,
president of the Bricklayers' union,
and II. G. Terlisner, secretary of the
Building Trades council spoke at some
length, explaining the ideas OF their
organizations.
o. H. Biggs, business agent Of the
Carpenters district council said Tues
day that in his opinion large majority
of the members of the building trades
unions favors the proposed rule and
that while every effort will be made to
avoid friction with the contractors, he
believed 1t will be insisted upon by the
building trades unions and that they
will be supported by members Of unions
Of other crafts In their efforts to i'm
prove labor conditions.
There has been general movement
in Memphis for more than year to
extend the labor union organizations
into number of unorganized trades
and a number of meetings have been
held for that purpose.
The union carpenters and the build
ing contractors have had no agreement
for months, and the general contractors,
through their organization, have beer
employing nonunion carpenters on many
Jobs Committees from both sides held
many conferences and government
agent visited Memphis several months
ago in an effort to bring about an
agreement, but without result.
The carpenters organizations insist
upon straight recognition Of their un-
| ions, to which the contractors have
been unwilling TO agree.