Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-31
Board Weighs
Building Trades
Row Evidence
Sheet Metal Group,
Ironworkers Testify in
JurisdictionoI Dispute
By WilIiom A. MiIIen

The National Joint Board Tor
Settlement of Jurisdictional Dis
putes today faces the problem OF
deciding whether sheet metal
workers or ironworkers should IN
stall metal decking for roofing and
flooring in buildings.
This pointed up the latest pan
Of labor and management to set.
tie troublesome jurisdictional dis.
putes, which have retarded con.
struction.
The board heard evidence yes
terday. and a decision may be ex.
pected in weeks. Sitting on the
board are representatives of the
Building and Construction Trades
Department SAFL) land those Of
the Associated General Contrac-
tors and eight speciality associations
In the building field.
Meeting at AFL headquarters,
the board heard a charge by sheet
metal workers that ironworkers had
driven them OF Job.
Contentious of Both Sides.
The sheet metal workers con.
tend a written decision made Janu.
airy 26, 1928, by the building de-
partment gave the disputed work
to them. The ironworkers contend
their men are more competent, that
contractors prefer their men and,
In fact, they have done a large
share of the work.
James Jolly, business representa-
tive of Local 20 of the sheet metal
workers, New Brunswick. N. j., told
the board his group still is having
trouble with the iron workers. He
declared that, although iron work.
ers drove the sheet metal workers
of the Owens Illinois Glass Co.
job after working six or seven weeks
and "the iron workers boldly took
over the job" the contractor paid
the sheet metal workers for the
time they were absent.
Chairman John T. Dunlop. Har-
ward professor, stopped this line
of questioning. He confined the
sheet metal workers to meeting the
iron workers charge of incompetent
workmanship.
Joseph Frederick. international
representative for the sheet metal
workers, said letters presented from
industry favoring ironworkers
meant nothing. He said the sheet
metal men could have obtained an
equal number, had they gone out
after them.
The sheet metal workers spokes-
men were General President Robert
Byron, International Representative
Frank ,Bonadio and Mr.. Frederick.
Industry Men on Stand.
In the ironworkers' case, directed
by Stanley Rounds, general organ
izer, three industry spokesman were
put on the stand. They said they
preferred ironworkers to do steel
decking.
Carlyle r. Boguess, president Of
the Southern Iron Works Co..
Alexandria, Va. said that on the
railways Bus Co. job here, the
sheet metal workers erected only
700 square feet of decking the first
day, when normally $500 to 5000
should have been installed. He
had to bring in ironworkers to aid
in getting the job done and lost
$4,000 on it, owing to the sheet
metal workers slowness, he said.
Others testifying for the iron
workers were Dan La Morte, erec-
ton superintendent. Fireproof Prod
ucts Co., Inc, New York, and George
Bigelow, field supervisor of the H. H.
Robertson Co., Pittsburgh.
The board earlier this week heard
a dispute involving the sheet metal
workers and plumbers as to which
should install copper piping in brew
cries. Another dispute under board
consideration Is whether electrical
workers or plumbers should work
on high pressure pipe YIELDS.
The new plan for settling juris-
dictional disputes nationally and
locally became effective May 1. Each
board has different membership.
drawn from a pool Of dozen labor
members and an equal number OF
II, d,yctru WAN hare