The Washington times., 1920-03-31
HOD CARRIERS
TO WALK OUT
1000 Union Members Plan
Strike Tomorrow as De-
mands Are Rejected.

A local strike of national signin-
canoe has been called by the inter-
national Hod Carries Building and
Common Laborers Union OF America
Local No. 1O5, for tomorrow because
Washington builders have refused the
demand for higher wages and recos-
milton of the union.
Contractors In this city this morn
ing issued warning to the country
against this Opening wedge" OF an
alleged effort to organize all common
labor on an all-inclusive scale.
Builders Condemn IL
Prominent local builders declared
that IL the demand OF the hodcarriers
is enforced American building opera
tions must eventually come to stand
stil owing to prohibitive costs. which
already are high. and the disastrous
effect II would have on pending enorts
to improve housing conditions.
There appears to be no possibility
of averting the strike tomorrow
The demand OF Local No. 105 has been
in the hands of the Builders end Man
ufacturers Exchange of the DISTRICT
OF Columbia for several months. the
old scale expiring at midnight To-
night.
The stabilization association of the
exchange has fiatly refused every de-
mand of the union, and union MEM
bers today were insistent that they
be recognized and their wages in
creased.
1000 VIII BE Affected.
Approximately 1000 members OF the
union have been called out, 1t was
stated at the headquarters Of the
Building Trades Council. The Plaster
Tenders Union, Local No. 651. already
has more than 100 men on strike, who
have been out for nearly month.
The Plumbers Laborers Union, Lo-
cal No. 541, and the Stone Mason
Union Local No. 46. also have made
demands Of their employers for new
wage scales, which thus far have not
been adjusted.
should these two unions also de-
clare a strike. It would mean that
four unions, involving several thou
sand men, of the Building Trades
Council, would be on strike with the
danger of influencing a sympathetic
strike on the, part Of the other
eighteen locals of the council.
Local builders today stated that the
strike Of the hodcarriers' union would
not materially retard building opera
tions in this city, although 1t would
inconvenience contractors for several
days until they could replace the
strikers. They declared that 1t would
not be difficult to find other men to
work as hodcarriers.
Contractors, however, are awake to
the serious setback building opera
tions in this city would suffer should
the Building Trades Council declare
a sympathy strike. Thus far no such
action has been contemplated by the
council, and none will be taken, 1t
was stated this morning. until the ef-
riers Is seen.
Want $500 Per Day.
The Building Trades Council Is
comprised of twenty-five locals and
comprises a membership of more than
10000 men.
The Hod Carriers and Common La
borers' Union is asking for SO per
day for all hod carriers and laborers
with the exception of the pick ana
shovel class who are to receive IS per
day.
At the headquarters of the Build
ers' and Manufacturers Exchange 1t
was declared this morning that the
seriousness of such a wage for COM
mon building labor lies not alone in
costliness, but in the inevitable i'm
pulse 1t would give to skilled build
ing labor, such as bricklayers, car
penters and electricians to demand a
commensurate increase in their al