New-York tribune., 1919-02-10
Hutcheson Calls Out All Men
on Employers Association
Jobs Throughout Country
$4,000 Expected to Quit
Lockout Blamed by Union
Leader; Asks Case Be Put
Before War Labor Board

\ sympathetic strike in the allied
building trades throughout the country
was ordered yesterday by William L.
Hutcheson, president Of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Join
ers of America. The walkout was called
for tomorrow morning, and will affect
approximately $4,000.
1t was explained by labor leaders that
$4,000 carpenters have been out since
November 4, and that about 10000 brick
layers and hosting engineers were
locked out within the past week. This
brings the total number of men thrown
out of work in the industry to $4,000.
1t will tie up more than 1870 construc-
ton jobs throughout the United States,
many of them contracts for the govern
ment. The strike is declared only
against employers who are members of
the Building Trades Employers Asso-
citation, which numbers about 500 firms.
The decision was taken at con-
ference OF the workmen at the Con-
tinental Hotel yesterday, where they
met TO discuss the action of the con-
tractors in locking out several thousand
bricklayers and hosting engineers en-
plcyed on undertakings in this city. On
Tuesday last there was strike Of
union workmen at the operations OF
the new Pennsylvania Hotel because of
the appearance of a number of non
union men on the job.
RetaIiate With Lockout
The contractors retaliated by declar-
ing lockout of the union men at noon
on Saturday. The general strike order
yesterday followed. The carpenters
had demanded raise of 81 day.
the independents have granted them
the raise.
The strike will call out plasterers,
plumbers. elevator constructors, cleo
trical workers. steam and gas filters,
machinists, tile layers, marble cutters.
painters and decorators. in addition to
all union men affiliated in any way
with the building industry. The com
paratively small number of wcrkmen
affected is explained by the fact the
Builders Association controls only 20
Ter cent of trade, and that activities
II this line are now at a low level.
Attending yesterdays conference
were Milton Smelling, president of In
ternational Association of Hosting En-
gineers; Peter Cook, president of the
International Association of Plasterers.
ternational Association of Elevator
Constructors
I'VE had offered said Mr. Hutche-
SON, ITO have our grievances adjusted
by the War Labor Board, but we have
heard nothing from the contractors,
and there was nothing else for us to
do
Ready to Meet Workers
Roland Taylor, president of the en-
ployers' association, said yesterday that
he is ready to meet the workers at any
time, but that the men must first go
back to their Jobs.
"The union" he asserted, "has vio-
lated a contract with US. We had
agreed to a wage of $3.50 for the car
penters, which schedule was not to
terminate until December 81, 1918 The
matter was referred by mutual consent
TO the War Labor Board, who decided
that the wage agreed upon was the pre-
vaillng rate and that it should stand
The present offer by Mr.. Hutcheson to
refer the matter again to the War
Labor Board can hardly serve any use
full purpose. They have already rem
dered a decision in the matter. But we
are still willing to take up the wage
Jobs.
Il am sorry for their present action
because it Will render the employment
situation, which is already trouble
some, much more difficult But we
shall not let the matter rest there We
will give the union men chance to
return. If they don't go back in a few
days we shall put other men on"
Mr. Taylor explained that there was
still a months work on the Pennsyl-
vania and Commodore Hotels. There
is work to be done, too, on the Cap
itol Theatre and the army base build
ings at Fifty-ninth Street and Second
Avenue, Brooklyn.
Thomas r. Priest, vice president of
the Brickiayers' Assocation who is in
charge of that phase of the situation
in the absence Of William ]. Bowen,
the president, stated yesterday that
lie had not yet ben Informed of the
action Of the central executives. but
that ne was ready to carry out orders.
He said that about 5000 bricklayers
IN New York and vicinity would be
affected