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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1910)
The Electrical Workers' Controversy Discussed Mr. Fisher, an official of the McXulty-Collins faction of the In- lion hoard to settle. The majority members. Frye and Urick. submit tcrnational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was given an oppor- ted their report, declaring it as their firm opinion that the only way tunity last Sunday afternoon to address the Reid local of this city. He to settle the matter amicably was to hold a joint convention and let appeared in joint debate with Grand Treasurer Sullivan of the Reid- the rank and file settle it after mature deliberation. This was cheered Murphy faction, and as a result the assembled electrical workers to the echo by the Reid faction, but received in utter silence by the were given an opportunity to hear an eloquent lot of crimination and McXulty-Collins faction. The report of that arbitration board should recrimination. Very little light was shed on the causes leading up to have been acted up by the convention in line with all former prece the present unfortunate condition. Mr. Fisher confined himself to dent. Out President Gompers referred it to the adjustment commit personal attacks on Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Sullivan was, perforce, tee and then to a committee of fifteen to be appointed by Gom compclled to defend himself. But Mr. Sullivan took occasion to pers. This was such an evident attempt to again palter and evade refer to some of the history of the present squabble, and from the that the same delegates again arose in protest, and the fight waxed reception he received it was quite evident that Mr. Fisher had not hot. Finally, fearing that the matter was about to get away from made any converts to his side of the case. them, Jim Duncan, a member of the executive council, arose and Mr. Fisher gently steered away from anything that would tend made a motion that the whole matter be left to the executive coun to throw any light upon the causes leading to the disruption. He cil for final adjudication. This put the responsibility squarely up to might have told a lot, but he showed better judgment in avoiding the men who had sought to avoid it for twenty-six months, and the that phase of the question than he did in consenting to meet Sullivan convention readily agreed. And there the matter stands today, in joint debate. At Toronto it was hinted that the whole fight was between men The facts of the matter are these: The rank and file of the anxious to hold lucratice jobs and handle large funds. President Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had lost confidence in their lead- Reid asked for and was granted the privilege of the floor. He of ers McXulty-Collins and wanted a convention called to remedy fered then and there to put his resignation in the hands of President what appeared to them to be abuses. McXulty and Collins, evidently Gompers. together with the resignations of every official of the so fearing that the- would be called to account, managed to stave off called Reid faction, provided the McXulty-Collins faction would do tiie calling of the convention for months. Finally a meeting of the the same, and then let the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers locals executive council at Springfield, which was largely attended by the as then constituted in both factions, select the new officials for an rank and file members, compelled the calling of a convention. Collins, amalgamated Brotherhood. Did the McXulty-Collins faction agree? grand secretary, then paid SoOO of the Brotherhood's money to a law- Xot much ! The- knew what would happen to them in case that yer for an opinion of the effect that such a convention would be il- course were taken. legal if held. Then he prevailed upon a little local in Massachuetts At St. Louis President Reid readily agreed to the suggestion of to protest and file proceedings to prevent the convention. But the holding a joint convention, or two conventions in the same city on convention was held at St. Louis, and was attended by some dele- the same date with committees from each to consult and frame up a gates now members of the McXulty-Collins locals. The St. Louis con- line of action. Did the McXulty-Collins faction agree? Xot much! vention declared the offices of McXulty, Collins and others vacant Hiding behind the skirts of the American Federation of Labor Collins and proceeded to elect the present officials of what is known as the let out a roar about "law and logic and sophistry" that sounded queer Reid-Murphy faction. in the ears of those who have studied the labor movement in most or Through some influence, not difficult to fathom by one who is all of its phases, aware of the jurisdiction fights constantly waged in some of the big The Reid faction js in existence today because the rank and file internationals, the McXulty-Collins faction has managed to retain of the Brotherhood had lost confidence in their leaders, and that their recognition by the American Federation of Labor. confidence had been betrayed is best evidenced by the fact that their The Denver convention cf IOCS took cognizance of the matter officials refused to allow a convention to be called, and that those and proceeded to take hold of it in an effort to settle it. Unfortunately same discredited officials are to this day afraid to leave their side of M. Grant Hamilton was put in charge, and Hamilton has succeeded the case to a decision of the rank and file of the membership in the in making a bad matter very much worse. As a disorganizer Ham- two factions. ilton has made a very enviable record since the Electrical Brother- These are some of the facts that Mr. Fisher did not see fit to hood trouble came up. The factions at Denver agreed to put the give to the Lincoln local in his remarks last Sunday afternoon, money each held in a trust fund, and not to draw thereon until all Pat Ford of Omaha accompanied Mr. Fisher to Lincoln, osten- differences were settled. Before the ink was dry on this agreement sibly for the purpose of hastening a settlement of the trouble, but McXulty gave checks against it to pay the expenses of his own dele- really for the purpose of trying to stir up dissatisfaction by telling the gates to the Denver convention. He secured the endorsement of men that the McXulty electrical workers now at work on the new Secretary Frank Morrison on these checks and the- were then Union Pacific building in Omaha were getting a day more than cashed. Reid protested the checks and they were returned to Mor- the Reid electrical workers of Omaha. He also stated that Xo. 22 rison to make good. This little incident is mentioned merely to show- of Omaha would go over to the McXulty-Collins faction in a body tl.at there ma- have been some reason other than thoughts about the this week, and that two-thirds of Xo. l(- would do the same thing, welfare of the labor movement that impelled certain labor leaders to This was an intimation that the Reid locals would change affiliation suddenly get busy revoking charters before the Toronto convention a merely to get a little more pay. Mr. Maupin was asked to make some year later. remarks on the subject and stated that in his opinion any man who At Toronto the matter was again taken up. and it occupied a vvould change affiliation merely for the purpose of getting a little major portion of the time of the convention Finally it was decided mQre wag an almightv poor union man to 5tart wiln. Mr"! Maupin to leave the matter to arbitration. Both sides agreed to this. Reid - -. . , .. . . i - i t t - - i f t. -.r r ,r c-.vi Ar-Yif,- then told brieilv the history oi the case as outlined above, selected A. L. Lnck of Des Moines to represent his side, McAuIty selected Frank Duffy to represent his side, and John P. Frev was Mr. Fisher was given a courteous hearing, but m conversation selected by President Gompers to act as the third man. This" com- with the men afterwards the writer had no difficulty m seeing that mittee met as soon as possible after the Toronto convention and be- Mr. Fisher had not made any inroads upon the Lincoln local. Q-an its attempts to settle the difficulty. Tust as it seemed possible ' Mr. Ford promised that there would be no Reid locals in Xe- that a solution was about to be reached. Duffy resigned as a member braska inside of a year. He also told them that he controlled the of the arbitration board and McXultv immediately served notice upon . labor movement in Omaha, and that what he said went. President Gompers that he and his faction would no longer be parties The most pleasant feature of the meeting and its after talk was to arbitration tne compliments paid to the Lincoln unionists upon their handsome At St. Louis the matter was again brought to the fore. Mind Labor Temple. Some interesting coparisons were drawn between you, now, Duffy, bv his own motion, was no longer a member of th its appearance and the appearance of labor headquarters in some other arbitration board. 'But when the majority members made their re- cities not a million miles away. Messrs. Fisher and Ford returned to port, Gompers allowed Duffy, no longer a member of the board, to Omaha Sunday evening, and Mr. Sullivan left for Cedar Rapids, submit a "minority report." " where, he will attend a meeting and then return to his headquarters Bear in mind that the whole matter had been left to this arbitra- in Springfield, ,111.