The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-23
Out Bryant
 Help
Unions Open Fight Here to Obtain Dollar An
 Hour Schedule.
TIEUP
 OF CITY PLANNED
1000 Bryant Employees Present Demands and
 Then Quit Work.

The first move on the part of labor in this city to demand in every factory 44-hour working week and d dollar an hour wage, or tie up the wheels
 of Bridgeport's industrial life
 has been taken by the union leaders.
 It was announced this morn ing that in the Bryant Electric plant 1000 men struck after
 presenting their demands and union officials confidently state that within two days they will
 have the other workers in the
 plant out with them.
 The manufacturers approaching the crisis have issued statement de- nouncing the demand for a closed shop as "un-American," but the labor element declare they will not recede from their position on this question.
 These demands were endorsed by the National Confederation of Labor at the annual convention at Atlantic City last month. They were first taken up in this city by the Machin- ists' Union which has committees in every shop in the city organizing the skilled workmen and formulating the demands and presenting them to each individual employer.
 The pro cable success of the Corset workers has added an impetus to the movement and the agitation is fast being taken up by the unskilled work CTS in most of the other shops
 The Park City local of the Ma chinists, composed of women machine workers, have appointed committees who are organizing the women ma chine operators and assemb1ers throughout the city and claim that they will have a membership of over 2.000 members before the end of the week.
 Ira M. Ornburn, secretary of the State Branch, Federation of Labor has been delegated to organize all oc the other unskilled labor in this city, and will take the matter up when he has finished his labors with the corset workers.
 A new organization, the Workers International Industrial union, has entered the field and has organized the workers in the Columbia Graph ophone and Bryant Electric Com pany's plants.
 According to Louis Lefkow-itz. the organizer of this union. it has mem- bers in every shop in this city In the factory of the American & British Manufacturing company alone, he says 50 per cent. of the employees are of the new union and two men are kept continually busy receiy- ing applications and making out cards for new members.
 This organiza ton is not affiliated with the Federation of Labor. but the 1emanas are somewhat similar, a A. hour week, Increase of pay. shop time and half, for over time, 15 per cent. bonus for night work, free spring water on ice, re- Instatement of discharged men. ajbol-g of discrimination against members Of the union who take part m labor agitation. Their motto is An injury to one is an injury to all"
 At the Columbia Graphophoue about 500 more men joined the strik- CTS this morning, following one of the largest labor meetings ever held in B Bridgeport. The meeting was caii-s ed at Machinists' hall last night but ' on account of the large crowd it was x compelled to adjourn to Colonial hall on Fairfield avenue. s
 A committee was selected to pre- sent the demands to the officials of the company today and another meet ing will be held at Colonial hall to- night to receive the report of the W
 The Workers Industrial Interna- tional will meet at Racockzi hall on 2 Bostwick avenue tonight at o'clock to receive the reports of the commit tees of their organization who hava.E3 been in conference with the officials of the Graphophone and Bryant Elec- tric companies.