On Tuesday, June 21st, three members of the old union met three Master
Masons and told them they were ready to concede anything to preserve
their union. They were advised to adopt the code of principles of the
Master Masons, and agreed to have the union do so. A special meeting of
the Bricklayers' union was called and held Thursday night for the
purpose of endeavoring to induce the members to take a sensible view of
the situation by adopting the code of principles. When the subject was
proposed it met with howls of disgust, and had to be withdrawn. The
members were not in proper temper to overturn their Union, even at the
request of one who had been a leader. Being unable to keep their
agreement in full with the contractors, the committee finally concluded
to accomplish something. They introduced the following resolution:
_Resolved_, That we withdraw our demand for Saturday pay-day, and
declare the strike off.
Even this ingenious little paper caused a bitter fight, the claim being
made that there was trickery in it, and that it meant a complete
"backdown" of the Union. But, with many assurances that the resolution
was a "square deal" it was finally adopted by a bare majority.
After the meeting it was stated that the stone pool--which held the key
to the lockout--would have no excuse for refusing to deliver building
material, as the strike was "declared off"; and that owners could compel
them to "come to time."
The action of the Bricklayers' union in rescinding the resolution in
regard to Saturday pay-day, and "declaring the strike off," did not
result in settling the differences between the two elements which had
been at variance for nearly two months. Among the contractors this
action was looked upon as a step taken toward a final settlement of the
existing differences, and it inspired them with a belief that more would
be done as soon as the arbitrary leaders of the union could be gotten in
a proper temper. More was intended to be done, but the conservative,
reasonable men in the union were not permitted to accomplish their whole
purpose at once, and were forced to accept that which the union was
willing at the time to concede. It was intended to fully recognize the
code of principles of the Master Masons and accept the situation for the
purpose of maintaining their union intact, but the temper of the men who
made the most noise prevented any such action being taken.
The feeling among the contractors generally was one of confidence in
their ultimate success, and they expressed themselves in a manner that
showed that they were as united as they had been at any time on the
questions at issue. They said there had been no union bricklayers
applying for work in consequence of the action rescinding the resolution
in regard to Saturday pay-day, and that the adoption of such a
resolution meant nothing unless the Bricklayers followed it up by going
to work under the scale which had been adopted by the Master Masons'
association.
The executive committee of the Master Masons' association met Friday,
June 24th, and decided to issue the following document, which, they
said, might lead to an adjustment of the differences which had
occasioned and prolonged the strike and lockout in the building trades:
TO THE PUBLIC: In order to permanently settle the differences
existing between employers and employes in the building trades and
to show to the public that the Master Masons' association is
willing to go on record as ready to do what is fair and reasonable
in the present difficulty, we, the executive committee of the
Master Masons' association, hereby offer to submit the platform and
code of principles adopted by our association--the Bricklayers' and
Stonemasons' union to submit their constitution and by-laws--to
four business men and a judge of the United States court, said
judge to select the four business men, who shall have full power to
act as a board of arbitration as between the Master Masons'
association and the bricklayers and stonemasons, and we hereby
agree to abide by the decision of a majority of said board of
arbitration.
JOSEPH DOWNEY,
HERMANN MUELLER,
E. EARNSHAW,
Executive Committee Master Masons' Association.
When a copy of this paper was shown to some members of the executive
committee of the Bricklayers' union, they grasped it eagerly, but
suggested that they were afraid the four business men might not do them
justice. One of them suggested that they might go so far as to agree to
let the Master Masons select two and the Union two, and have a judge of
the United States court for the fifth member, and then submit their
constitution and by-laws and the code of principles of the Masons to
them as proposed, and authorize the arbitrators to decide just what
should be done by each party to settle the whole trouble.
Saturday, June 25th, a committee from the Bricklayers' union, composed
of A. E. Vorkeller, C. C. Scouller and C. J. Lindgren, met a committee
of Master Masons, composed of C. A. Moses, Thomas Nicholson and E. S.
Moss. The Union committee asked for and received an official copy of the
proposition to allow a judge of the United States court to select four
business men to arbitrate the case. They objected to the manner of
selecting the arbitrators, and suggested that they be permitted to
select their representatives, and the Master Masons do the same, and
then select a judge as umpire. This action of the two committees was
entirely unofficial, but the Union committeemen said they would
officially present a proposition to the Master Masons on the subject.
Monday, June 27th, the executive committee of the Bricklayers' union
replied to the communication of President Downey, as follows:
JOSEPH DOWNEY, President--_Dear Sir_: In reply to your
communication of the 25th inst., submitting a proposition to settle
permanently the differences existing between our union and your
association, we beg leave to say that said proposition does not
meet with our approval for the following reasons, viz: There is a
want of confidence on the part of workingmen in such high officials
as United States judges from the fact that they are not brought in
close contact with workingmen in the settlement of their
difficulties. Further, we believe a board of arbitration selected
in the manner suggested by your committee would not be satisfactory
to either side. Neither do we believe they would be as competent as
a board selected from the employers and employes directly
interested.
We, therefore, take this opportunity to remind your association
that we, on the 9th inst., appointed a committee of five from our
organization to meet a like committee from your association (the
joint committee to select an umpire) with full power to permanently
settle the differences existing between our union and your
association.
By order of the executive committee of the United Order of American
Bricklayers and Stonemasons.
A. E. VORKELLER,
CHARLES J. LINDGREN,
[Seal.] FRED RECKLING,
JAMES SIDLAK,
JOHN PEARSON.
The objection to the United States judge was amusing to those who fully
understood the situation. If he had been a judge whom they had helped to
elect, or was a politician, there might have been no objection on the
part of the executive committee of the union. But they would not submit
to a United States judge because, they said, he did not come in
"contact" with the laboring men. They wanted some one who did or had
come in "contact" with them, because they believed such a judge or
person would be afraid, for political reasons, to decide against the
power of the union. The union was also afraid to submit to fair-minded
men its constitution and by-laws in comparison with the code of
principles of the Master Masons, because its rulers well knew that a
decision would be against them, and their union would fall. It was well
known that if President Vorkeller could have had his way, or could have
controlled the union, a settlement would have been reached that would
have been satisfactory to every builder in the city. But he was
powerless, because every proposition he had made to adopt the code of
principles of the builders had been howled down, and he had been
threatened with violence if he persisted in his efforts to reach a
settlement in that way. On one occasion, when Mr. Vorkeller insisted
upon such a course, he was assaulted by an enthusiastic striker and was
"struck like a dog."
Wednesday, June 29th, the Master Masons' association held a meeting, and
by a vote of 41 to 30 decided to appoint a committee of arbitration, and
named George C. Prussing, Joseph Downey, George Tapper, William O'Brien
and Charles W. Gindele. After the committee was created it was
instructed to stand firmly by the code of principles of the Association
and to require their recognition by the Bricklayers before proceeding to
a settlement of differences.
The action of the meeting did not meet the views of all the members of
the Association, some of whom were fully determined that it was
impolitic to appoint an arbitration committee, even when its powers were
abridged by a demand for full recognition of the code of principles upon
which they had been standing for weeks.
The committee did not suit the Bricklayers. A dozen of them were
standing outside the Exchange to hear the decision of the meeting. When
they were informed that Mr. Prussing was on the committee they swore
they would never arbitrate anything with a committee of which he was a
member. What objection they had to Mr. Prussing they would not explain,
but insisted that "it was of no use to talk of such a thing as
arbitration with George C. Prussing." Some cooler heads among the party
finally concluded that it would be time enough to object to the
composition of the committee after they had received a communication
from President Downey, and knew what they were expected to arbitrate.
When it was suggested to them that they would be expected to subscribe
to the code of principles of the Master Masons' Association, one of them
said it made little difference who was on the committee, as that would
never be done by the Union Bricklayers. Other members of the Union said
this would make no difference, as the code of principles was just, but
it would be very difficult to get the Union to adopt them. The
conservative element on both sides of the question were encouraged by
the action of the Master Masons, and said a settlement would be reached
that would be satisfactory to everybody.
President Downey prepared and caused to be sent to President Vorkeller
official notification of the action of the association, as follows:
A. E. VORKELLER, President United Order of American Bricklayers and
Stonemasons. _Sir_:--Chicago Master Masons' and Builders'
Association has this day appointed a standing committee of
arbitration of five of its members with full power to act for and
in behalf of this organization in settlement of any and all
differences existing. You have been informed of the platform and
code of principles adopted by this body. On these it stands. All
other questions may properly be arbitrated. Please inform this body
whether your committee has been appointed with full power to bind
your organization by joint action with us. If so, our committee is
ready and shall be pleased to meet your committee at the earliest
time convenient for the selection of an umpire and arrangement of
preliminaries. The arbitration committee appointed by this
association consists of Messrs. George C. Prussing, George Tapper,
William O'Brien, Charles W. Gindele and Joseph Downey.
Respectfully,
JOSEPH DOWNEY, President.
H. MUELLER, Secretary.
In reply to this communication President Vorkeller sent to President
Downey an acceptance of the proposition, as follows:
JOSEPH DOWNEY, President--_Dear Sir_: Your communication notifying
me that your Association has appointed a committee of five to meet
a like committee from our organization for the purpose of settling,
if possible, the present lockout, is at hand. In reply will say
that we await your convenience and will hold ourselves in readiness
to meet your committee at any time and place you may appoint.
Yours respectfully,
A. E. VORKELLER, President.
The time and place of meeting was fixed by President Downey in a note to
President Vorkeller, as follows:
A. E. VORKELLER, President.--_Sir_: Your communication received,
and would say in reply that our committee will meet your committee
at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning at the Grand Pacific hotel.
Respectfully,
JOSEPH DOWNEY, President.
Friday morning, July 1st, the joint arbitration met. The members were on
hand in full force, the opposing elements being represented as follows:
Master Masons' association--Joseph Downey, George Tapper, George C.
Prussing, Charles W. Gindele, William O'Brien. Bricklayers'
union--Albert E. Vorkeller, P. J. Miniter, John Pearson, C. J. Lindgren,
Fred Rebush. They pretended to be very glad to see each other, and
smiles were exchanged freely. When they entered the committee room,
President Downey introduced Mr. Prussing to President Vorkeller, and
requested him to introduce him to the other members of the committee
from the Union. This appeared to be an assumption that Mr. Prussing was
a comparative stranger to the members of the committee, but he had been
so well known that the bricklayers had repeatedly asserted that they
would not arbitrate if he was on the committee. It was amusing to
witness the cordiality with which John Pearson grasped Mr. Prussing's
hand, and to hear him say he was glad to see him, when the bitter words
of denunciation of the previous day had hardly got cold on Mr. Pearson's
lips. Mr. Prussing was introduced all around, after which he suggested
that they at once proceed to select a chairman and get down to the
business of adjusting their differences in a manner that would insure a
permanent settlement of their troubles and an assurance that for all
time the friendliest relations might be maintained between employer and
employe. "The first thing to do," said Mr. Prussing, "is to select a
chairman."
Mr. Vorkeller, president of the Union, half elevated his wiry form, and,
looking toward four reporters in the room, said: "The first thing to do
is to put these outsiders on the outside." The reporters retired. They
had previously been advised that the Master Masons were in favor of an
open meeting, but a secret session having been demanded by the
bricklayers it was conceded by the masons. It was apparent that the
bricklayers had determined that the public should know nothing of their
deliberations, and as little as possible of the result.
At the morning session George Tapper was selected chairman. An effort
was then made to agree upon the eleventh member of the committee. The
bricklayers insisted upon the appointment of Richard Prendergast, Judge
of the County court of Cook county, and the master masons urged that
Walter Q. Gresham, Judge of the U. S. circuit court, should be the man.
The bricklayers strenuously opposed any United States officer, and the
names of both judges were dropped. An umpire was parleyed over for an
hour, and a general discussion of the situation occupied the remainder
of the morning session without reaching a conclusion upon anything
except a chairman.
The afternoon session lasted three hours. When the committee adjourned
it was announced that the members had done nothing for the public, and
had agreed to not make known their work until it was completed. However,
the deliberations of the afternoon were of a progressive character. Many
questions were discussed and some rules were agreed to, which meant that
there was a strong probability that the contending elements would get
close enough together to agree upon an award. During the afternoon the
names of many prominent citizens were suggested for the position of
umpire, but no selection was made. It seemed to be the desire of both
factions to secure someone who would not be prejudiced in favor of "the
other fellow." The sessions of the day were "perfectly harmonious," and
as the members of the committee became "better acquainted" with each
other, they gave stronger assurances of a permanent friendship, if
nothing else.
The members of the committee slept over the list of names of prominent
citizens, who had been suggested for the position of umpire, and on
Saturday when they got together Judge Tuley, of the Superior court of
Cook county, was unanimously chosen umpire. The judge was officially
notified of the action taken, advised of the questions at issue between
the contestants, and asked if he would accept the responsibility which
was sought to be put upon him.
A reply was received stating that from a sense of duty he would accept.
A short session of the committee was held in the afternoon to receive
the reply, and an adjournment was then taken until 9 o'clock Monday
morning.
The Fourth of July was celebrated by the joint committee sticking right
to business. They believed the questions at issue were more momentous
than a remembrance of the anniversary of the birth of the nation by a
display of fireworks. According to agreement the joint committee met at
9 o'clock, and Judge Tuley assumed the chair as umpire. The work began
by acquainting the umpire with the situation as it was viewed from both
sides, the differences and grievances being rehearsed in such a graphic
manner that the judge was profoundly impressed with the importance of
the questions which he had been called upon to settle, and he announced
his readiness to proceed to such a conclusion as would forever put at
rest all contention over the labor problem in Chicago, as far as it
related to the building interests. The entire morning session was taken
up in debates and the umpire discovered that he would be required to
call into requisition not only his knowledge of the law, but all the
parliamentary tactics with which he was familiar, with a possibility
that he would have to occasionally invent a ruling to suit the special
occasion. The code of principles of the Master Masons was submitted and
discussed at length. The code was not adopted as a whole, but was held
in abeyance in order that other questions should be submitted to
ascertain what bearing the code might have upon them. It was decided
that the real issue should be narrowed down to facts which directly bore
upon the foundation for differences between the contestants.
At the afternoon session the order of business was first defined and
then the struggle began over the items of difference, which were taken
up in the order agreed upon and discussed. These points embraced the
many hard questions which had occasioned strikes and lockouts for five
years. They included the various demands of the bricklayers, which had
been objected to or conceded from time to time, from the demand for an
increase of wages in 1883 to the unsatisfied insistence upon a Saturday
pay-day.
A sub-committee, composed of Messrs. Prussing, of the Master Masons, and
Miniter, of the Bricklayers, prepared a statement showing all points
upon which the contestants agreed and disagreed. Every disputed point
was then so thoroughly argued by both sides that Judge Tuley was fairly
saturated with facts and eloquence. The umpire was very cautious, and
asked a great many leading questions of both sides. He evinced a
disposition to become fully advised and enlightened, not only as to the
points of difference, but as to their effect upon the contestants. He
wanted to know it all, but he expressed few opinions, and made very few
decisions. His idea seemed to be to endeavor to lead the contestants up
to points at which they might possibly be able to agree without the
necessity for his casting a vote upon a disputed question, and in this
course he was upheld by both sides, because it had a strong tendency to
promote and preserve harmony between the two. In fact, the umpire
endeavored to show them how they could reach a conclusion without the
use of an umpire.
As the time for making the award drew near, the members of both
organizations, and in fact, of all trades, became very anxious to know
the result. They used every means within their power to obtain some
information from the committeemen in regard to the manner in which
points of difference had been or would be adjusted, but the mouths of
the arbitrators remained sealed. They simply said: "Wait for the
verdict, and you will be satisfied."
On Friday, July 8th, at 6 o'clock in the evening, the joint committee
concluded its labors and adjourned, after having adjusted the
differences between the Master Masons and the Bricklayers which had
caused a strike and lockout in the building trades lasting nine weeks.
The award was made and signed by the ten arbitrators and the umpire.
After the committee adjourned both factions acknowledged themselves
perfectly satisfied with the award, and congratulated each other upon a
result which, they said, they hoped and believed would forever settle
their differences, and in the future prevent strikes and lockouts in the
building trades represented by the Master Masons on the one part and he
Bricklayers and Stonemasons on the other part. The members of the
committee parted as friends, and seemed to understand each other so well
that if they could control the destinies of the two factions there would
never be an occasion for an arbitration committee between the two to
settle a strike. It was agreed that the award should be submitted to the
Bricklayers' union and the Master Masons' association for ratification,
and that building should be resumed on Monday, July 11th.
The award of the committee was as follows:
TO THE UNION OF THE UNITED ORDER OF AMERICAN BRICKLAYERS AND
STONEMASONS AND TO THE MASTER MASONS' AND BUILDERS' ASSOCIATION OF
CHICAGO: The joint committee of arbitration, composed of an
arbitration committee of five from each of your organizations, with
Judge M. F. Tuley unanimously selected as umpire, have concluded
their labors and respectfully report:
That, recognizing the fact that organizations of employes and
employers, like these from which this committee originated, do
exist and have become important factors in our industrial society,
and that they will, in all probability, continue to exist, we do
not attempt to determine whether the motive or basis of either
organization was right or wrong. They appear to be a necessity
arising out of the present conditions of society, and while such
combinations keep "from violence or show of violence" no great
danger need be apprehended. Nor did we attempt to determine which
organization was to blame for the present paralyzed condition of
the building industry of this great city. We recognized the fact
that the two organizations between which there should be many
"bonds of sympathy and good feeling" were carrying on a bitter war
with each other, by which many thousands of men were deprived of
work, much suffering and privation brought upon innocent parties,
and immense pecuniary losses daily sustained; and we determined, if
possible, to reconcile the differences and place the relations of
the two organizations upon a basis by which strikes, lookouts, and
other like disturbances might in future be avoided. We discussed
the relations of the contractor and the workmen, and found much in
which they had a common or joint interest, and were mutually
concerned. We endeavored to discuss and settle each trouble and
grievance in a conciliatory spirit, not in way of compromise, to
give and take, but in a spirit of fair play and upon just and
equitable principles.
We found that the main cause of trouble was in the separate
organizations endeavoring to lay down arbitrary rules for the
regulation of matters which were of joint interest and concern, and
which should be regulated only by both organizations by some
species of joint action. We, therefore, determined upon and submit
herewith a project for the institution of a joint standing
committee for that purpose. The article herewith submitted,
providing for such a joint standing committee, to be elected
annually in the month of January, defining its powers and duties,
we request shall be incorporated into the constitution of each
association.
This joint committee will be constructed of an arbitration
committee of five members from each organization (the president of
each being one of the five) and an umpire who is neither a working
mechanic nor an employer of mechanics, to be chosen by the two
committees. This joint committee is given power to hear and
determine all grievances of the members of one organization against
members of the other, and of one organization against the other. To
determine and fix all working rules governing employer and
employes, such as: