New-York tribune., 1920-05-07
Truck Unions
Defy Boycott
By Merchants
n.;,ers Declare They Will
No. Work With the Strike
preakers and Call Move
Rlow Against Organizing
will Fight to Finish
R,,siness Men Meet Again
and Ultimatum to Driv-
ers May Be Issued Soon

,..asrs OF the truck drivers unions
-. r;oht accepted the challenge of
=. ;,dus.risl interests of the city to
e.;sb fight on the issue Of the truck
.,,s refusal to haul goods to and
.'.,, ,iers where strikes are in prog
rsss.
The merchants say that in conjunc-
INN with the crippled condition of the
..;lrasds the action of the teamsters
,.s practically paralyzed business in
~. nort. is driving trade to other cities
..a ;s causing daily loss TO shippers
:, nearly 100000, with many facing
utter ruin.
ASS way out OF the difficulty they
,.rs nooled their resources and have
,.solyed to go into the trucking busi-
Moss themselves on a huge scale un-
lass the men change their stand.
Unions Take Firm Stand
John Quinn, president of Local S07
ii the teamsters' international and
.,,kesman in the absence of Michael
Csshal. the district leader, announced
That despite any radical action on the
mart OF the business interests the 90,
hoo unionized truck drivers Of the city
would Certainly not haul goods with
strike breakers or to and from places
where men are on strike
While members of the various bust
ness organizations cooperating in the
present struggle insist that the ques-
tion Of unionism is not involved, and
that they are only interested in getting
their merchandise in ard ont of the
city, it appeared in certain quarters
that the issues are more reaching
than was at first evident.
It is held by some that it is really
the beginning of widespread anti
strike movement TO be eventually de-
yeloped into an effort to deunionize the
transportation and public service IA
cilities Of the port.
Il don't know whether this is the
beginning Of an antiunion movement
or not" said Quinn. Personally,
don't believe it is. do know, though,
that we will act in harmony with the
striking union men any place, and if
this is fight to a ow-down. we are
ready. We are 10000 strong and 95
per cent unioniZed and will never work
with strike-breakers. Attempts have
been made TO operate trucks with non
union men before, but they haven't
worked"
Business Men Meet Again
The 200 representatives of the busi.
ness organizations Of the five boroughs.
who announced their determination to
move their goods in and out of the
city at all costs. met again yesterday
IN executive session in the Offices Of
the Merchants Association in the
Woolworth Building to complete their
plans for the battle
At the conclusion OF the meeting
Alfred Z. Marling, president Of the
New York State Chamber Of Commerce.
ana ana Mllham Fellowes Morgan, head of
sne merchants Association. declared
that committee of twenty-fve had
plans. ''-e
Il was intimated that this committee
would issue an ultimatum to the work
eis IN day or two, demanding a
VI thelr stand and in the
event OF their refusing to change their
attitude, the committee will 20 ahead
WIN WIN the purchase of trucks and the
nlTing OF men to run them.
isaac Goldberg, chairman of the
ooock oock committee OF the New York Team
o,wners' Association, denies the asser-
Ion OF the merchants that the team
owners havea contract with the union
@ otVers not to send them to points
Sagre nIc strikes are in progress.
II union drivers employed bv the
Lfacx owners of New York refuse to
handle merchandise on piers where
s'llkes are in progress. that should
not be placed to the discredit Of tbe
.ss ram owners, because we are willing Ia
a lake merchandise from piers and order
SW SS[ men to go to the piers" he saws.
mos Most Of the congestion that EXISTS is
uue 10 the fact that the railroads have
sn so' suihclent employees to handle The
aeIsht offered them. Then, they main
sn ssln 'hey can't get enough cars and
,aa! nua.s to handle the freight that is
rendered them. '''"' -
III would seem to US that the civic