Putnam patriot., 1923-05-11

oust the eight men and their families from their homes, and that he would employ counsel on behalf of the un- ionized workers. Mir. Christian de- elared tt his intention to endeavor to secure an injunction preventing tho wuts from becoming operative and that succeeding in this. he would di- rect counsel to carry the question into court and fight 1t out.
 Organizer Christian declares tAnt there Is no strike at the Manhaaaee Mfg. Co.,, for, he asserts. this walk-out was prevented from taking place yes terday morning by the move on the part of the company officials ia clos ing the plant down. It Is his conten- tion and that of the mill workers. that this action on the part of the com pany created virtual "lock-out'---- preventing regular employees from pursuing their usual labors. This be- ing the case, the strikers say, they were prevented from working, and for this reason they cannot be classed as non-empioyes and esicted from com pany tenements.
 On the other hand. the company contends that when a group of en- ployes lodged complaint and expressed dissatisfaction over wages, the matter was discussed by officials and a com mittee of workers; that finally the committee was told firmly, but fairly and gentlemanly. that the raise could not be granted. Then 1t was decided to close the factory down and reopen it again at 1 o'clock and permit aif
 
 with their pay and other working con ditions.
 Many employees have accepted this offer on the part of the company, and have been working steadily. not hav- ing lost minute. Many more have refused to return and say they viii not go back until the seven per cent raise in pay. Is granted. Ofiicials of the company state that the plant is operating on both night and day shifta with about TO per cent of the normal quota of operatives, who number about $50 in all On the other hand the strikers asser. that more than two-thirds of the usual force employed at the mill are not at work and will not be until the present labor trouble Is adjusted to their sat isfaetiois. rhese statements are oV- posites and leave the point in doubt
 Those who are "locked out" are members of Local 37 of the American Federation of Textile Operatives. . large union organization that is in no way affiliated with the American Fed eration of Labor. On next Monday Organizer Christian will he relieved by John P. o'Connell of Salem. who is general secretary of the American Federation of Textile Operatives. He will assume charge of the situation upon his arrival in town.
 Tickets, representing the dissatis- fled employees, have been on duty about the mill since the trouble start ed. There has been no trouble of any character or no cases of intimidation have been officially reported. To prevent interference with employa1 who care to enter the mill and work the company has employed eight oe ten deputy sheriffs. who are on duty on streets on which the mill property fronts.
 To Get Pay This Afternoes
 All of the workers who refused to go back to work on Wednesday after noon will march in body this after noon to the mill office. where they win receive their pay envelopes. This mass formation will take place about 1 o'clock.
 Organizer Christian stated that any local union member who is in need. because of the cutting off of his pay on account of his being "locked out" of work, will begin receiving from the union next week sums of money suf- ficiently large to prevent him or his family from suffering. Such bene- fits, Mr. Christian stated, will be con- tinued as long as the trouble exists
 Want ' Per Cent Pay Increase
 The chief grievance that the work CTS have is that they did not receive the 12h per cent advance in wages that operatives in other mills all over New England received on April 30- They acknowledge that they received an increase of Ia per cent, and they want seven per cent added, that tha total advance may be 12h making the increase identical with what otb- CT mill workers are accorded.
 The company states that on March 90 an advance in pay of seven per cent was made effective, and that the Manhasset Mig. Co. was the only mill making such Ea advance at that par ticular time. This was an indepep- dent move on their part, to benefit their employees. Later. when all niiilss were raising wages i2 + per cent, tho Manhasset Mfg. Go. accorded an aa- vance of ik per cent. This. with the seven per cent of March %. made the total increase l1h per cent. The company will not grant the present demand for an additional increase of seven per cent, it was stated at the mil office.