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Pending this controversy, the Building Trades' Section of the Federation of Labor separated, and by May 16 nearly all of the leading builders and a number of contractors granted the $3.00 per day and eight hours as a day's work, and sufficient of them had signed the agreement to establish the rate demanded until May 1, 1904.

The largest number of men on strike at any one time was about 400, and not all of them were out at one time, as many of the builders signed the contract almost immediately after the demand was made and work continued.

The general result of the strike, so far as the carpenters were concerned, was to give a great impetus to the organization, resulting in over 2,000 members joining the various unions, and bringing about an esprit de corps among the membership that had not existed in many years.

The following is a copy of the agreement which the carpenters requested their employers to sign:

UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS OF AMERICA.
Agreement

Between the Master Builders' Association, Boss Builders, Contractors, and District Council, Baltimore and vicinity, Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, to remain in force from May 1, 190.., to May 1, 190...

THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this..... day of. A. D., I..., by and between the Master Builders' Association, Boss Builders, of Baltimore City, party of the first part, and the District Council United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, and the Unions affiliated therewith, party of the second part. Witnesseth:

First. The party of the first part agrees that...... will employ as carpenters none but members of Unions affiliated with District Council, Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Second. The party of the first part agrees to pay $3.00 per day of eight hours, as a minimum rate of wages.

Third. The party of the second part agrees that from the date of the signing of this agreement until May 1, 190.., that no strike shall take place, either for an increase of pay or shorter hours.

Fourth. The party of the first part and the party of the second part agree that in future all agreements shall be made in November prior to the expiration of agreement of May following.

Fifth. It is agreed that in all matters of dispute, which they are unable mutually to adjust, shall be submitted to an arbitration committee composed as follows: Three members to be chosen by the builders of Baltimore and three members by the District Council of Carpenters, these to select a seventh member, their decision to be final.

Sixth. All agreements after the expiration of this agreement shall be for one year and date from May 1.

Seventh. This agreement shall be signed by the Master Builders' Association, or Boss Builders, or Contractors, as the case may be, party of the first part, and by the President and Recording Secretary of the District Council, and the Business Agent, as parties of the second part.

During the strike the city authorities were drawn into the controversy with the strikers, Mr. Preston, Building Inspector, being requested to refuse to employ any person from outside the city or from unorganized labor. The committee of the Building Trades' Council waited upon Mayor Hayes and called his attention to the ordinance passed April 11, 1898, which prohibits any person not a registered voter of the city from working on public buildings. During the controversy between Mr. Preston and the organization, the Building Inspector notified all contractors having work for the city under way, that according to Ordinace 59, passed in 1902, the men should be paid "such wages as are established at the time of the making of the contract." Had this been carried out by the contractors a number of men would have had their wages reduced from 25 to 50 cents per day. However, this result was not reached and the speedy termination of the controversy ended this discussion.

At one time during the trouble a general strike was anticipated of all the building trades in the city, but this was avoided by a compromise settlement, in which the general working card system, which had been demanded by the men, was abandoned and the carpenters finished the struggle singlehanded.

Another result of the strike was that friction occurred between the various building trades organizations, which culminated later on in the carpenters withdrawing from the Federation of Labor.

This incident was a result of the Bricklayers, Stone Masons and Plasterers' Union refusing to obey the order to strike generally when that decision was made by the Building Trades Section of the Federation of Labor. These unions were then turned out of the Building Trades' Section of the Federation and finally the carpenters abandoned that section entirely.

STRIKE IN PRINTING OFFICE.

On May I the compositors, eight in number, employed by the Summers Printing Company, who had become members of the Typographical Union a few weeks previous, demanded of their employers a recognition of the union card. The company was paying union wages, and the demand was to enforce union rules and to have what is called a "closed shop," so far as the compositors were concerned. The eight compositors went on strike on the order of the union and remained out until May 22, at which time the company agreed to recognize the union and the cards held by their employees. The matter was thus settled and a victory gained for the union.

STRIKE OF THE STEAM FITTERS AND HELPERS. The members of Steam Fitters' Union No. 435 and of Steam Fitters' Helpers' Union No. 438 went on strike on Friday, May 6, after having made a demand for a working day of eight hours and $3.00 per day for fitters and $2.00 per day for helpers.

The Master Fitters' Association entered into an agreement with the Fitters' Union in 1902, said agreement being for a minimum wage scale of $2.50 and a work-day of nine hours; the Master Fitters also agreed not to employ any but union men, while the fitters agreed not to strike, but to submit any differences or disagreements that might arise to an arbitration committee. This agreement would have expired on June 3, 1903. When on presentation of a new agreement by the union, the Master Fitters said they would not take up the matter unless the men returned to work, and subsequently, on May 12, the Master Fitters' Association notified the unions that they had broken their agreement without warrant and that unless the men returned to work by Wednesday, May 13, the firms which were members of the association would request all their employees to resign from the union and would then put them back to work.

A number of the men stayed out until June 1. In the meantime some of the firms conceded the demands of the men and by June I all had returned to work, either by the signing of an agreement or without any agreement whatever.

It was the concensus of opinion that the strike was ill-advised at the time and it was by no means successful.

STRIKE OF MOLDERS.

The molders employed by the Henry McShane Manufacturing Company, to the number of 175, went on strike about April I for an increase of wages and for a better equipment of the shop. This strike was ordered by the Iron Molders' Unions Nos. 19 and 24, and the strike has never been settled, many of the men who left having sought employment elsewhere and some few having returned to work.

During the pendency of this strike the Henry McShane Manufacturing Company filed a bill in the United States Circuit Court against the Iron Molders' Unions Nos. 19 and 24, and named a number of the members of those unions in the bill.

The petition for the bill alleged as follows:

That prior to March 30, 1903, the company had been paying their molders to per cent. in excess of the standard wage established by the union, when their wages were reduced to the standard wage scale. Eighteen molders, it says, protested at the reduction, but continued to work. The reduction was reported to the union and on advice of that body they informed the company that unless the wages were restored they would strike, and in combination with others would close up the shops. The wages were not restored, it says, and it was then that the molders and their assistants, whose wages had not been reduced, proceeded to carry out their threat.

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The complainant says it was necessary to reduce the wages of the molders in order to compete with firms in similar business. The strike commenced April 2, 1903, and since that time, the petition says, the strikers have congregated about the shops, and have intimidated and threatened the employees who had remained at work. From the action of the strikers the company says it has been unable to fill contracts and that the threats of the locked-out men are becoming more dangerous. and oppressive.

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Judge Morris signed an order setting down the hearing for the motion on the injunction for June 13, and it appearing, the court said that there is danger of irrepressible injury being caused to the complainant before the hearing unless the defendants are restrained. It is further ordered by the court that the defendants be restrained in any manner whatever from using threats, force, violence, intimidation, ridicule or violent or abusive language toward the workmen employed by the defendant. Furthermore, the order prohibits the strikers from gathering at or about the places of business of the Henry McShane Manufacturing Company and inducing by threats, etc., and of the employees to refuse to perform their duties, following the workmen to or from their work, and of establishing pickets near or around the shops.

The strike has never been declared off and the company employed new hands to the number of 145.

The wage loss to the men is reported to be about $30,000 so far.

STRIKE AT SPARROW'S POΙΝΤ.

The strike in the marine department of the Maryland Steel Company for shorter hours was practically a failure, the company refusing to deal with the union and employing other help. The members of the union on strike were paid $5.00 and $7.00, respectively, by the union.

STRIKES OF BRICKLAYERS AT ANNAPOLIS.

The bricklayers employed on the Naval Academy at Annapolis, who struck on March 19, went back to work, as the strike was declared off by the Bricklayers' Union on March 24, a settlement having been effected by the vice-president of the Bricklayers' International Union.

The bricklayers employed on the State House annex, who went on strike against the sub-contractor in May last, returned to work, the matter having been settled by the employment of a new sub-contractor. Work had been stopped for about ten days. Mr. J. W. Ringrose, president of the Baltimore Union, was sent down to Annapolis to adjust the matter, and he decided that it was not a matter for interference and that the union men could return to work.

On June 25 some of the hod-carriers employed on the State House annex were discharged for refusing to obey orders,

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