The New York herald., 1920-01-03
GOVERNOR CALLS
CLOAK WORKERS To
MEET EMPLOYERS
Arranges for Conference in Al
bany Next Monday to Avert
Strike Crisis.

In an effort to meet what manufacturers
in the cloak, suit and dress industry have
declared is an extremely critical situation
following workers threats 10 repudiate
a three year agreement. signed June OF
last year. Governor Smith has sent out a
call for conference, to which representa-
tives OF both sides have been invited. The
conference is set for next Monday after
noon in the executive chambers in Albany.
The following telegram sent out by Gov
ernor Smith was received yesterday by the
Cloak. Suit and Skirt Manufacturers As
sociation and also the union heads. IL
reads:--"Noting in todays press that a
crisis is imminent in the important cloak
industry that may involve the families
of forty thousand workers. ] consider it
a matter OF serious public concern. T.,
therefore. request that you send repre-
sentatives OF your organization TO meet
me In the executive chamber of the capi-
tol at Albany. on Monday. January 5, at
two o'clock. TO confer with me on ways
and means OF solving the questions now
agitating the industry with view OF pre-
venting a general stoppage.
Officials of the Manufacturers Associa-
tlon said that the request OF the state Ex-
ecutive would be compiled with. The an
nouncement Of the personnel OF the delega-
ton will be made today or tomorrow, u
was said The union is expected 10 send
representatives TO the conference
According to figures printed III the re-
port of the Joint Board Of Sanitary Con
troll OF the Cloak and suit INDUSTRY lot
October. 1919, a total OF 1886 workers
were EMPLOYED on August 81. in the five
hundred and twenty-nine shops owned and
controlled by the three hundred and fifty
odd members in tho protective ASSOCIATION
This represents about thirty-five per cent
of all tho workers in the industry. About
twenty-five per cent or the workers ar"
employed by members OF the american
Suit and cloak Association. wniie iortN
per cent work for Independent manuiaS'
1urers
II is the first named association whici
IL involved i'm the present dispute Lat
Yesterday afternoon II was said that
total OF forty-seven shors, In which apou'
four thousand operatives were employed
lad effected q "stoppage." Representa-
tivee Of this association said that they had
81 900 900 for the betternent OF the asso-
citation"
Members OF the association declare tnat
since the agreement with the union, en-
tered into last June, production has fallen
or twenty per cent 1t is also contended
that the minmun3 wage applies to not
moro than five per cent of'all their work.
ers II is said these latter. BY means OF
ba reaining as individuals. have increased
their earnings TO high figures. operators on
coats, skirts, Jackets and dresses ana cut
ters. pressers and finisher5 averaging y"
week.
The charge war made that the union
while ostensibly working 70 prevent strikes
in the industry. in accordance with the pro
visions Of the agreement, Rad marie llttle
or no sffor, to prevent the o-called Stop-
page" Tho sprin4 season. which runs uil
III about April Is, or May ]. is just start
inr, and IL was eoftended that the union
wss seizing the occasion 10 enforce It's
demands
Morris Slgman. chairman OF the JOINT
Board OF the Cloak, Suit. Dress ano
Refer Makers Union. said the union.
which Is part OF the international
Ladies Garment Workers Union. was
opposed to strikes and tho spirit OF strikes,
and that not a single ''stoppsge' had been
sanctioned by the union.