The New York herald., 1920-01-04
ANOTHER STRIKE
THREATENS T|E-UP
OF BUILDING HERE
Men To Be Called off Erector
Jobs in Fight Over
Closed Shop.

In pursuance with the provisions OF the
the Building Trades Employers Associa-
tion and the Building Trades Council ef-
fective January l, wherein it is stipulated
that only union labor shall be employed
Ly the forty-odd members of the associa-
ton, the men employed on two Jobs OF
1he Iron League Erectors Association. a
member of the Building Trades Employers
association. \ will be called off this week.
This first step in the renewal of the con-
troversy between labor and capital, which
has kept building in New York city at
standstill for months, may become nation
wide IN scope before either the Iron League
Erectors Association. which. through its
attorney, Walter Drew, of No. oS6 Fifth
avenue. has taken a strong stand for the
open shop, or the men will give in.
In admitting last night that a decision
lhad been reached to call the men off on
two Jobs wherein non-union men are en-
iployed by the Iron League Erectors' AS
ISOLATION, Robert p. Brindell, president Of
the Building Trades Council said that a
GATE for the walkout would be fixed at
postponed meeting tomorrow afternoon of
The Joint committee of employers and en-
poyes who formulated the agreement
(Which became effective last Thursday. He
would not give the names OF the firms of
'rectors whose men will be affected by the
Nalkout.
MI Brindell said that investigation had
disclosed that there are not more than
five or six Jobs" OF members of the Iron
League Directors Association out Of a
total Of seventy-eisht on which non-union
men are employed. The total number of
non-union men involved out Of probable
total of ,0C0 was not more, he said, than
40.
At the offices Of the Building Trades
Employers Associa ton, No. 30 West Thir-
,tv-third street, 1t was said that represen-
'atiNes of the Iron League Directors AS
sociation had signed the agreement which
went into effect last week, and that no
announcement had been received OF an
irtention to sever its connection with the
building Trades Employers Association.
Whether or not the Building Trades En-
1loyerS' Association will take part in the
enforcement of the agreement against one
OF Its members was not stated.
At the time OF the signing of the agree
nent between the employers and employees,
lin the building trades Mr.. Drew issued a
statement declaring, in effect, that it was
AN alliance between the building employees
and the Building Trades Employers AS
sociation against the Iron League Direc-'
tors Association. For fourteen years, he
said, the latter had operated on the open
shop basis and it proposed to remain on
The same basis.
The clause in the contract which Mr..
brew pointed out as aimed at the Erectors'
Association provides that II worllmen not
members of the union ''arc alleged to be
'cmployed OH any job wllereon any member
or members OF the Building Trades En-
p,oyers' Association are doing work. IT
shall be brought Immediately to the at
,tention OF the Board of Arbitration here
Iinafter provided for. and IL the facts are
found to bo as ALLEGED it shall not be
deemed violation OF this agreement for
,auny members OF the unions bove men
ltioned to refuse to work on the job in ques-
/ ION, unless such workmcn arc justfiably
employed in the case above provided for
that is where a union or a member or
members of the union have just violatsn
this agreement"
Mr. Drew said last night that the league
was standing in tie position II had occu-
pied Cor rourteen years, and he hoped
there would he no trouble. If any trouble
developed. however. the responsibility
would rest with the other side.