Evening star., 1934-05-08
u. s. ACTS TO BRING
PAY AGREEMENT IN
CARPENTER STRIKE
ConciIiator Actively Presses
| Case-0pposing Groups
Stand Firm.
UNION STRESSES JOBS
GAIN IN 6-H0UR DAY
Contractors Again Offer $1.10 Per
Hour Pending Receipt of
Data From N. R. A.

Negotiations to reach a new wage
scale agreement and end the strike of
1000 union carpenters in Washington
got under way actively today.
Howard T. Colvin, Department of
Labor conciliator who had an active
part in settling the recent strikes of
bakers and ice cream workers here.
represented the Government in efforts
TO bring about an agreement The
carpenters today have a representa-
tive OF the international union IN the
city to represent them in the nego-
tlatlonS, While 1t was understood that
the contractors are being represented
by the Master Builders Association.
Carpenters in meeting OF their
District Council last night, presided
over by its president. o. c. Rickard,
firmly stood their ground for an in
crease in wages from the old 81 an
hour to sl.37l2 an hour. with a six
hour day instead of the present eight
hour day.
S1.1O Offered.
The out-of-toWn contractors so far
have stood together. with the Master
Builders Association insisting that
Sl.37l2 was not justified The con-
tractors recently reiterated their offer
OF Sl.1O an hour for a 90-day period
until they could get further informa-
ton from the N. R. A upon which
to base their negotiations for a new
wage-scale agreement.
10 lV,ai, 1irt- 81.
penters' Union has contended that the
agreement by which wages were re-
duced from sl1 to So last April was
forced" at a meeting of the Master
Builders Association, and a wage
board of carpenters This was the
subject of prolonged testimony before
the Senate Committee on Education
and Labor yesterday, presided over by
Chairman Walsh of Massachusetts.
Albert Caya. business agent of the
Carpenters Union. charges the agree
ment was illegal because it was forced
against the expressed vote of the
membership of the union.
Struck May 1.
Contractors. on the other hand,
have insisted the agreement was bona
fide and was signed on April IA, 1888.
by accredited representa- tives of the
Carpenters Union and the contractors.
1t expired, however, April 80, this
year, and the carpenters have been on
strike since May /.
The carpenters at their council
meeting last night sharply criticized
the recent statement By the Master
Builders Association as Just another
bid for public favor"
The carpenters pointed out that for
more than year the carpenters have
worked for 81 an hour alongside
other building tradesmen who were
getting hourly wages from so to rs
cents higher.
Increases Employment.
To increase the carpenters hourly
wage to Sl3712 for a Six-hour day, the
carpenters pointed out, would raise his
daily pay only 25 cents-from So to
S825-while the offer submitted by
the maste1 builders on an eight-hour
basis at S1.10 an hour would bring
the carpenter $3.50, which would be
SIS cents more daily than the demands
of the carpenters.
With the Six-hour day. the car
penters say. job that would employ
300 men for eight hours day would
put 400 to work at a six-hour day rate,
thereby increasing employment and
taking care Of more idle workers
In referring to the master builders
contention that to pay the carpen-
tiers more than Sl10 an hour would
retard private building here in Wash
ington, the council asked the builders
what effect the N R. A. forced in
crease of building material prices
would have on construction here.
The Central Labor Union last night
officially lent its support to the car
penters in their fight. Richard A.
Dickson, president. disclosed today the
union had voted on the issue.