The New York herald., 1921-09-10
WALKOUTS FOLLOW
LANDIS WAGE CUTS
Men Quit Big Jobs Despite
Agreement to Abide by
Decision.
RATIFICATION EXPECTED
Building Trades Council Hopes
to Keep Union Workers
in Line.

Special Despatch to THE New YoRK HDaALD
CHICAGO, Sept. s.-Labor has split on
the Landis building trades decision.
Despite the fact that one union. the
Hosting Engineers, already has voted
a strike and members Of other organi-
zations are walking out. Thomas 5
Keaney. president of the Chicago Build
ing Trades Council. declared the coun-
ell would ratify the decision.
10 offset the engineers strike Is the
unanimous approval by the electrical
workers of the Lands wage award, by
which their wages were cut is cents
an hour.
The strike of the engineers. becom-
ing effective this morning tied up Jobs
in many parts OF the city, among them
being the following:
The Federal Reserve Bank Building
The reconstruction OF the Northwest
crn grain elevator In South Chicago.
The Commonwealth Edison plant at
Tooth street and the Calumet River.
The new Quadrangle Club building
at the University of Chicago.
Members of other trade unions. in
cluding the plumbers. the steamftters,
pipe coverers. ornamental iron workers
and the marble settlers. also walked off
the four jobs as a protest to the wages
set by Judge Lands.
Four hundred carpenters. hoisting en-
ginees, bumpers, brickIayers plasterers
and Iaborers quit work on the 100000
Catholic College for Priests being built at
Area, Ill. The men declared they
wouldn't work for the wages fixed by
Judge Lands nor would they abide by
1.-The conditions under which they are
compelled to work"
The strike and walkout, so far as
Judge Lands is concerned. will fall on
deaf ears for the time, because he has
gone on his much belated vacation to
Burt Lake, Mich.
A group Of engineers offered sarcastic
comment on their strike. saying: We've
gone fishing. too, same as the Judge.
Draw your own conclusions"
Work on the Federal Reserve Bank
building came to q halt this morning,
when the twelve hoisting engineers en-
ployed on the job quit when workmen Of
other trades walked out.
Union officials made every effort to
keep the men at work pending the action
of the meeting of the trades council
pointing out that they had agreed to ac-
cept any decision Judge Landis, as their
own choice for arbitrator. might make.
They also called the attention OF the
men to the "opsn shop" threat made by
william Schlake, general manager Of
the associated builders.
''Unionism Is at stake Mr.. Schlalze
said. IF the men win not work there
are plenty OF unemployed who will. It's
up to the union leaders to show now that
they really arc leaders. If they can't do
1t they will kill any building boom that
might be started"
In threatening the open shop for Chi
cago Mr.. Schlake cited the case OF San
Francisco. In that city the building
trades refused to accept u per cent.
reduction in wages which was ordered
by an arbitration board OF five citizens
who conducted hearing similar to that
before Judge Lands.
When the San Francisco unions went
into the arbitration they agreed to abide
by the result, just as the Chicago unions
did," said Mr.. Schlake. After the
award was announced. however, the
unions refused to live up to their agree
ment and spurned the new wages. Pub
lie opinion turned against them at once
Civic organizations became interested
and fund of $1,000.000 was raised by
popular subscription. AS result the
city of San Francisco is on an open shop
basis. Now union and non-union men
are working side by side. II necessary
the same course may have to be taken in
Chicago"
The effect Judge Landis's building
cuts will have on rents was shown to-
day when all previous records for apart
ment building and residence permits
were shattered, Forty-two permits.
twelve for large apartment buildings
and twenty-five for residences. were is
sued by Commissioner Bostrom.
'If the men accept the cut enough
apartments and homes can be built to
force rent reductions before May /.
1892" said Chief Plan Examiner Ed
ward III. Nordle