3. We reserve the right to employ men of our own selection and to
discharge anyone for reasons of incompetency, intemperance, or
disorderly conduct, and we will co-operate with the carpenters'
council in all their efforts to elevate the mechanical and moral
standard of the craft.
4. We indorse the principle of arbitration as preferable to
strikes, and will co-operate with the carpenters' council for the
establishment of a board of arbitration.
5. The probable number of men each of us will require, at once on
resumption of work is set opposite our respective names.
Two hundred members of the Carpenters' and Builders' association met
April 14th. William Hearson presided. Seventy new members were
admitted. The executive committee submitted a basis upon which it was
proposed to settle the strike. It was unanimously adopted, as follows:
_Resolved_, That the Master Carpenters will, as a preliminary to
any negotiations with the carpenters now on strike, require that
the men now on strike without notice to their employers agree to
resume work at the following scale of wages, to be agreed to by
employer and employes--viz.: eight hours to constitute a day's
labor, the wages to be 30 cents an hour and upward.
_Resolved_, That the Master Carpenters lay down the following rules
as a declaration of principles as the unquestionable rights of
employers and employes, upon which there can be no arbitration or
question. These rights to be conceded by both parties before any
further action is taken looking toward a final settlement of
differences for the future:
Rule 1. The right of the employer to employ and discharge employes
whether belonging to carpenters' unions or not.
Rule 2. The right of the employe to work or not to work with
non-union men.
Rule 3. The right of the employer to hire unskilled labor that will
best suit his purpose at any price at which he can get it.
Rule 4: The right of the employe to get the wages he demands or not
to work.
Rule 5. The right of individuals to associate for all honorable
purposes.
After the meeting adjourned, the executive committee delivered a copy of
the report to the Executive Council of the carpenters. The document was
respectfully received, Mr. Parks remarking that the Master Carpenters
would have to "come again," but the communication would be carefully
considered.
The resolutions and rules were also sent to the new carpenters'
association. A motion was made to fully endorse them, especially in view
of the recent action of the union in repudiating their agreement. The
proposition was unanimously voted down.
On Friday, April 15th, the Executive Council prepared a lengthy reply
to the action of the Carpenters and Builders. It contained an extended
statement of the situation, concluding as follows:
In conclusion, we will agree with rule No. 1 in your document if
the words "the right to discharge rests in and is confined to the
individual employer and not the associated employers," were added.
And you understand that under your own rule, No. 2, union men would
have a right to refuse to work with non-union men, and to quit any
job where such were employed, unless they were discharged when the
request was made.
Rule No. 3 must have the words: "But no unskilled man shall be
allowed to do work which properly belongs to the trade of
carpentering, or which necessitates the use of carpenter's tools,"
before we can accept it.
The other rules in your document are immaterial and do not need
review.
Now, for a few words. We will state the terms upon which the
journeyman carpenters of this city will return at once to work.
There must be an agreement made and signed by the contractors,
individually or collectively, through an authorized committee, and
signed by the executive committee of the United Carpenters council
on the part of the journeymen, and in addition to the two rules
given as amended the following:
The minimum rate of wages paid to journeymen carpenters shall be 35
cents per hour.
Eight hours shall constitute a working day; overtime shall be paid
as time and a half and double time for Sunday work.
There shall be an arbitration board for the settling of grievances.
The agreement shall be in force until the 1st day of April, 1888,
and notices of desired changes at that time must be given by the
party so desiring to the other party to the agreement on or before
March 15, 1888.
Hoping you will look at this communication from a business as well
as humanitarian standpoint, and that you will keep in mind the fact
that we are as desirous as you can possibly be of ending the
strike, and that nothing is here set down in malice, every word
being uttered in the spirit of harmony and justice.
The statement was signed by J. B. Parks, Ed. Bates, Alfred A. Campbell,
M. S. Moss, William Kliver, John H. McCune and William Ward, Executive
Committee of the United Carpenters' council.
The Executive Committee of the Carpenters' and Builders' association
carefully considered the document and at once formulated and transmitted
to the headquarters of the striking carpenters the following reply:
TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CARPENTERS NOW ON STRIKE--
_Gentlemen_: Your communication has been respectfully received and
carefully considered by the executive committee of the Master
Carpenters' association. We respectfully inform you that we can not
in any manner deviate from the action of the association of
Thursday night, which was embraced in the report delivered to you,
and there is nothing in your communication which in the opinion of
this committee justifies the calling of a meeting of the Master
Carpenters' association. Very respectfully yours,
J. W. WOODARD,
JONATHAN CLARK,
FRANCISCO BLAIR,
JOHN RAMCKE,
S. H. DEMPSEY,
Executive Committee Carpenters' and Builders' Association of
Chicago.
The new association of bosses became exasperated at the action of the
Carpenters' Council with regard to their agreement, and sent the council
notice that unless the proposition for a settlement of the strike was
agreed to by noon of April 16th, the association would not consider
itself bound to pay 35 cents an hour, recognize the union, or make eight
hours a day's work. They demanded that their employes be directed to
return to work on Monday, April 18th.
Early Saturday morning, April 16th, the executive committee of the
Carpenters' and Builders' Association issued an address, as follows:
Believing that the great majority of you are fair and honorable,
the executive committee of the master carpenters take this means to
address an appeal to you, as we believe you can not be reached in
any other way, plainly, calmly, and without a coating of
socialistic ideas being spread over by your so-called leaders,
whose business it is to be agitators and disturbers of our mutual
interests, and whose occupation would be gone if they could not
find a constituency gullible enough to listen to and support them.
It is impossible to say how much farther we would be advanced in
material prosperity in this free country if we were free from the
antagonistic feeling caused by this class of agitators, who are
really out of their element here, and should be confined to the
source of the oppression of labor, on the ground and among the
institutions which support class distinction. Now we are all
workers with you, our business is not speaking or writing, and we
venture to say that nineteen-twentieths of the men who employ you
started in from your body, and did not get where they are by
listening to or following these imported ideas, but did the work
they found to do, made the most of their opportunities, and we hope
the same course will be left open to yourselves, and that the same
spring will furnish more of the same stock, and that
notwithstanding the foothold these perverted maxims (each for all
and all for each) have gained among us, in the long run our plain
judgment will lead us away from them and each will make his own
endeavor to rise as high as his opportunities will allow him, and
by doing so will stimulate his brother to follow in his footsteps.
Is not this better than "each for all and all for each," which will
load you down heavier than you can bear, so that none can rise, and
a class will have to be furnished from some source to employ you
who will surely not have your interests more at heart, and, in that
event, we would be back again to whence we sprung from, or some
other, where we can not tell. You surely will not be improved in
your condition by wasting your time in contending with your
employer for more than there is in existence to give you, for he
can not give you what he has not got, nor can he give you wasted
time nor the advance he has offered without risking a present loss
in the hope of being able in the future to gradually increase the
cost of production to cover his outlay.
Men, go to work; form associations if you will; better your
condition by that means if you can, but do not risk the driving
away from this fair city that which supports you, nor listen,
except to learn, to those born contenders who have no other gifts
than "gab."
Think of the $20,000 at least you are losing every day in wages,
besides what you are spending, and think of those who are likely to
suffer most by it. The wife and children, who have no voice in the
matter, and also believe that your employers are not doing any
better.
Boys, this advice is from a committee of five who got every penny
they possess from hard knocks and the work of their own hands and
brains.
J. W. WOODARD,
JONATHAN CLARK,
FRANCISCO BLAIR,
JOHN RAMCKE,
S. H. DEMPSEY,
Executive Committee Carpenters' and Builders' Association of
Chicago.
The firmness of the employers and the disaffection among the carpenters,
after two weeks of fruitless agitation, had produced no good results. No
agreement was reached between the bosses and the strikers. The strike
was simply declared off by what was regarded by the carpenters as
competent authority. The edict which settled the strike was as follows:
TO ALL ORGANIZED CARPENTERS--_Brothers_: You are ordered to report
to your various jobs Monday at 8 A. M., and if your employer
accedes to your demands for eight hours a day and 35 cents an hour,
go to work, but on no account are you to work if your demands are
not granted, neither will you work with scabs.
You will make it your duty to see that every man has the working
card issued by the United Carpenters' council for the months of
April, May and June, and consider as a scab anyone who is not in
possession of one.
If your employer objects to the conditions do not stop to argue the
question, but immediately report to headquarters.
Some of you may not work the first nor the second day, but we will
without fail win this battle if you follow instructions.
Every brother in distress shall be assisted, and we pledge
ourselves that not one of you shall want if only brought to our
notice.
Carefully take note of all jobs working more than eight hours, or
employing scabs, and report to your headquarters. Also, any boss
who defrauds brothers of their pay, with evidence necessary for
prosecution.
It shall be the duty of every man, especially foremen, to bring all
influence they can to bear on their employers to induce them to
join the new Builders' association.
Now, brothers, with joy we say to you, go to work. You will get
your demands. And we beseech you not to work for less. If you do,
you will be found out. There are enough to watch those who will not
do their duty, and you must be subject to a call when it is
necessary.