Evening star., 1923-04-06
Placed Before Brotherhood.


AS soon as the men walked out 'he
Jnion Employers Electrical Con-
tractors" Association. placed the case
before the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, through
Charles p. Ford, secretary OF the in
ternational union.
Their letter, which was dated April
., stated:
The individual members Of this or
ganiZation have been verbally noti-
fled by the various shop stewards
dhat the members of Local Union No.
rs are on strike and are only avail
able now at the rate Of sl.25 per hour.
"It therefore becomes necessary for
us to call upon you to furnish us men,
rs provided for in the existing agree
ment: unless you can furnish US with
the men as required on or before
Wednesday morning at 1880, April 4,
1898, we must man our jobs as best
We can"
Reiteration of Demand.
Yesterday, believing that develop
ments were forthcoming that might
insure harmony, the electrical con-
tractors decided to continue to walt
on the union workers. At u meeting
last night the union voted TO lay
aside matters which would tend to
settle the strike and to reiterate the
original demands for SO per day.
The electrical contractors received
from the International union copy
of letter which had been dispatched d
to local union No. 90 by the interna-
| that the international had been ad-
vised by employing electrical con-
| tractors of Washington that the
| members Of local No. 26 have sus-
pended work In violation OF the
agreement existing between the local
union and the employing contractors.
'If this complaint is representative
| of the facts, it is necessary for us to
reafiirm the information previously
! impaired to you that In go far as the
international organization is con-
cernedt we consider the agreement ex-
! listing between the employers and the
I local TO still be in effect"
The letter added a statement to the
| effect that the international could see
| merit in the desire for an increased
| BE that as il may, IL would not
| Justify any member or local affiliated
| with the brotherhood violating their
| contract or agreement"
At conference between officials of
| the international union, including
Ford, and G. NJ Bugniazet, the inter
national vice president and officials
| of the electrical contractors asso
citation a few days ago, the instruc-
! tions were given to man your shops
| as best you may" according to the
i contractors, and this is being done.
Say Due Notice Given.
The local union claims that due
notification was given the contractors
that g. change in the agreement was
sought The contractors maintain
that it was not until December 10
THAT the formal notification was re-
ceived, in accordance with the agree
ment, which provides for a notf1ca-
tion of desired changes ninety days
In advance Of the expiration of the
agreement
| In the contention that the agree
ment Is still in effect and that the
4 notification was not filed ninety days
before the union men walked off their
| Jobs the International union is sus-
| tanning the contractors
| The clause in the original agree
ment, recognized by the international
union as binding, reads as follows:
| THAT this agreement shall COM
mence on January II, 1921, and shall
continue In force until March l, 1922,
| and shall be considered renewed from
year to year thereafter under the
1 same terms and conditions as herein
stated, unless one party notifies the
other party in writing at least ninety
days prior to the termination of the
agreement spsoafytng the changes
| desired. =" :,.--;- -.-,-., -