New-York tribune., 1922-03-13
Building Men
And w Orkers to
Discuss Wages
Meeting, Virtually Assured
for This Week, Means
Uniermyer Arbitration
Plan VIII Be Dropped
Threaten March II Cut
Union Declares 1T Is Com
PEELED TO Attend the Con-
ference or Go On Strike

representatives of the EMPLOYERS and
workers in New York City's building
trades are practically certain to meet
this week, on Wednesday or Thursday
at the latest, in an effort to reach
new wage and working agreement, The
Tribune was informed authoritatiyelv
last night
In so doing, it is planned to elirni-
nate from all consideration the plan
OF arbitration submitted to both sides
by Samuel Untermycr, chief counsel
for the Lockwood committee. This
was accepted by the Building Trades
Council, the union organization, but
was rejected by the employers through
their Building Trades Employers Asso-
citation.
Neither side wants anything TO do
with the Untermyer plan," said C. G.
Norman, chairman OF the board of gov
ernors Of the association, yesterday.
ITS a farce, and any one knowing any,
thing Of building conditions in New
York City so regards it,"
Untcrmyer in Albany
Meanwhile, Mr.. Untermyer is at AL
bany fighting for the passage of the
various Lockwood committee bills.
Whether he will return to New York
City to take hand in the latest turn
OF developments is problematical.
a move for the proposed meeting
was set in motion by the employers
Thursday, when they sent word to the
unions that they would post a cut in
tne wages of a large number of the
IIo'oVV building trades workers on
Niarch H. This information was given
1ne unions through 4 group of fnan-
ciai' manufacturing and civic organiza-
tiohs-termed by the employers as a
pupllc group-headed by Walter Stab
Ter, OF the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company. ''' . " s'''oc
inns group also asked the unions 10
sehd representatives to conference
WIN the group spokesmen and officials
Oh the employers association, for the
purpose of establishing basis for ne
EQUATIONS Tor new agreement, with a
committee of citizens selected from the
pubhc group participating with the rem
iesehtat>ves of the two chief sides.
ACTON on the proposal will be taken
to-oay ~ ny the executive committee of
the Building Trades Council. which ar
cordng to Charles Burns. secreto,v of
the council, probably will recommends to
the council meeting tomorrow thai +bo
unloh representatives meet with the en-
ployers and the Staber group.
Termed Strategic Coup
Ihls IN itself puts the Untermver
p'ah on trap door and pulls the string
VI 1ne Trap according to one OBJ
server ana is without doubt a strategic
ooup On 'he part of the employers and
victory for their plan of eettin, TO-
gether with the union renresentat;,,a
winch. as made originally, provided for
participation Of a group such as that
headed by Mr.. Stabler.
no" the employers brought the move
ABOUT was somewhat as follows:
Inc OLD agreement between the en-
pioyers and the unions expired on De-
cember 81. At about that time Mr.
untermyer suggested his arbitration
plan, IN connection with his WORK On
the Lockwood Committee. The emnlov-
ers extended operation of the old
agreement for one month. Later thev
decided to reject the Untermver plan
putting forward their own in its stead
me s unions voted to accept the former.
rms deadlock remained in effect
through a maze of advances, counter
advances and correspondence generally
on the subject for weeks On January
81 the employers extended the old agree
ment Tor another month, and at tho
end OF last month they again extended
~, but this time only for little more
IMAM Two WeckS-to March 1G.
by announcing their intention Of a
wage cut, the employers put up a
Showdown" for some speedy action on
the part of the unions in the matter
OF conferences, and at the same time
provided the unions with ample excuses
to make to Mr.. Untermyer when he
gets back from Albany.
"What could we have done ?" thew
can ask him. sit was a case either of
accepting the cut or going on strike,
so we had to get together with the
bosses"
Will Seek Partial Cuts
1t was learned definitely from re-
liable sources that the EMPLOYERS. in
the event the conference is held as
planned will not seek to cut the wages
of the bricklayers, painters, plasterers
and similar skilled workers in the
building trades who now get 50 day,
but that they will insist on reductions
in the pay of the semi-skilled workers,
including some of the helpers and at
least one machinists' organization
classed as not strictly building
trades union. Decreases for all the un-
Azznunauz. xeazuss.1zzz..x.s1z
7 al