Albany: Carriage and wagon workers employed by twelve firms threatened to strike March 1 for increase in wages. Bureau's representative intervened February 22, called on the several firms and suggested a conference but the employers declined to meet the workers collectively. He then attended a meeting of the union and requested that a committee be appointed with power to settle the dispute. A committee consisting of five members was appointed which waited on the several employers and an amicable adjustment was reached before March 1, which prevented what might have been a serious strike.

Mineville: Mine workers. (See detailed account below.)

New York City: 115 bakers employed in 3 shops struck January 26 to compel employment of "extra men furnished by the union. Bureau intervened February 6 and tried to arrange a conference to adjust the trouble but the employers refused to confer.

New York, Brooklyn: 76 cap makers employed in 1 factory struck March 8 for closed shop conditions. Bureau intervened March 8, interviewed employer and union representative and sought to arrange a conference but the employer refused to meet the union committee. Places of strikers were filled with new employees by April 26.

New York City: 200 carpenters employed by 12 firms struck February 27 for increase of wages to the union rate. Bureau intervened February 28 and asked the parties to meet for a conference but the employers' association refused to recognize it as a strike and refused to confer. Trouble ended March 25 when strikers' places were filled with other union men.

New York City: Cutting die and cutter makers. (See detailed account below.)

New York, Brooklyn: Fur dressers. (See detailed account below.)

New York City: 125 ladies' tailors employed in 1 shop struck March 16 against change from week work to piece work. Bureau intervened March 25 and attempted to arrange a conference of the parties but the employer refused to go into conference. Direct negotiations between the union committee and firm's representative resulted in return of strikers to work under week work system on April 1.

New York City: 40 ladies' tailors employed in one shop struck March 16 against change from week work to piece work. Bureau intervened March 28 and succeeded in arranging a conference the same day between employer and union officials. The dispute was settled and all returned to work on the week work basis on April 1.

New York City: 40 neckwear makers employed in 1 factory struck January 6 against reduction of wages. Bureau intervened January 10 and

succeeded in arranging conferences January 11 and 12 between employers and union representatives. A compromise was reached which ended the strike January 12.

New York, Richmond: Plaster workers. (See detailed account below.) New York, Queens: 115 silk weavers and others employed in 1 establishment struck March 19 for increase of 15 per cent. in wages. Bureau intervened April 4, making several efforts to arrange a conference of the parties but neither side consented to meet the other. Strikers' places were filled and strike was abandoned by the union on April 23.

New York City: 74 waist makers employed in 1 factory struck January 6 for reinstatement of discharged employees, increase of wages and reduction of working hours. Bureau intervened February 5 and succeeded in arranging a conference February 29 betwen employers and representatives of the strikers and their union. A settlement of the trouble was reached and a new price list signed and witnessed by the representatives of the Bureau. New York City: 80 waist makers employed in 1 factory struck January 6 for reduction of working hours and union recognition. The Bureau intervened February 13 by request of the union and made an effort to have both parties to the contest meet in conference but the employers refused to confer with the strikers. The strikers' places were filled on January 16.

New York City: 20 waist makers employed in 1 factory struck February 7 for shorter working hours and union recognition. Bureau intervened February 13 and arranged a conference same day between employers and union representative. The conference resulted in settlement, strikers' demands being granted.

New York City: 25 waist makers employed in 1 factory struck February 7 for reduction of working hours and recognition of the union. Bureau intervened February 13 and asked the members of the firm to confer with the strikers but they refused to do so. The demands of the strikers were granted and strike ended March 13.

New York City: 30 waist makers employed by one firm struck February 7 for reduction of working hours and recognition of the union. Bureau intervened February 13 and succeeded in arranging a conference between the employer and a representative of the union which resulted in settlement, union demands being granted.

New York City: 40 waist makers employed in 1 factory struck February 7 for reduction of working hours, increase of wages and recognition of the union. Bureau intervened February 13 by request of union officials and arranged a conference with employers on February 21. The parties could not agree on the price list and the conference resulted in failure. The strikers found work in other shops and the firm secured other employees and were working under normal conditions on February 26. New York Mills: Textile workers. (See detailed account below.)

CUTTING DIE AND CUTTER MAKERS, NEW YORK CITY.

Eighty-five members of the International Union of Cutting Die and Cutter Makers of America employed by three firms in New York City went on strike January 2, 1912, demanding a re

duction of working time from 50 to 48 hours per week. This was part of a general strike in eastern territory, firms in Massachusetts and other states being affected.

On January 11 the Bureau intervened and made an effort to have a conference of the parties in dispute. The employers refused to go into conference at first but on January 18, 23 and 24 the Bureau arranged three conferences at the office of the Labor Department, New York City. These conferences were attended by a representative from each of the firms involved and three members representing the International Union of Cutting Die and Cutter Makers of America. Difficulty was experienced on account of the wide extent of the strike and the inability of the employers to speak for the firms in other states at the earlier conferences. The question at issue was finally settled by a compromise as follows, the masters' association agreeing that the eight hour day would be granted to the men on strike as follows: 49 hours per week - March 1st; 48 hours per week-June 1st.

The unions accepted the offer and the strike ended February 1, 1912. The employers' association expressed its gratitude to the Bureau for its efforts, and a letter of thanks was received from the president of the international union.

FUR DRESSERS, NEW YORK (BROOKLYN).

Six hundred and twenty-five men, 300 employed as fur dressers and 325 as floor workers, members of locals Nos. 13,185 and 13,196, American Federation of Labor, who were employed in 19 shops owned by members of the Master Fur Dressers' Association, located in the borough of Brooklyn, went on strike March 1 for an increase in wages and the right of the floor workers' foremen to join local No. 13,196 of the American Federation of Labor.

On March 7 the Bureau's representatives intervened at which time the unions and the masters' association had broken off all connection with each other. After many visits were made to each party of the controversy, a conference was arranged consisting of a committee from the masters' association and the members of locals Nos. 13,185 and 13,196 at the Brooklyn Labor Lyceum on March 21, 1912. As a result of this joint conference it was agreed to settle all future troubles by arbitration, the demands of

the unions were granted by the masters' association, agreements were signed, including price lists and working rules and the strike ended on March 22. An interesting feature of the agreements signed is the following provision for arbitration:

Any grievance that cannot be mutually and amicably adjusted as provided for in this agreement shall be submitted to a Board of Arbitration to consist of two men selected by the employer and two selected by the union. These four to select a fifth disinterested party who shall act as umpire. He shall render a decision within a period of one week, the said decision to be final and binding upon all parties. A discharged employee, when found to be unjustly discharged, shall be reinstated with full pay, dating from the time of his discharge to the time of reinstatement.

MINE WORKERS, MINEVILLE.

On January 3 the Commissioner of Labor received a communication from Mr. Marcus M. Marks, chairman of the New York Arbitration Committee of the National Civic Federation, to the effect that a strike was seriously threatened at Mineville and Port Henry, N. Y., among the employees of the Witherbee-Sherman Company, and requesting the Bureau of Mediation and Arbitration to intervene. The Commissioner referred the matter to the Bureau of Mediation and Arbitration for investigation and action. On the 5th Mr. P. J. Downey of the Bureau went to Mineville and had a conference with George Waldron, president of Laborers' Protective Union No. 8,079 of the American Federation of Labor, who informed him that there was much dissatisfaction among the men owing to the company's discharging men, and that the union demanded the discharge of Superintendent Dugan and Foremen Reilly and Wersoski, and that on the 7th a general meeting would be held when definite action would be taken. He also conferred with Mr. Le Fevre, general superintendent of the Witherbee-Sherman Company, who stated he was unaware of any immediate trouble or dissatisfaction among the employees. Mr. Downey arranged for a conference between the representatives of the company and the union to be held at the company's office on January 9.

At this conference the Witherbee-Sherman Company was represented by their president, George Foote, and General Superintendent Le Fevre; Laborers' Protective Union No. 8,079 by

George Waldron, P. Hughes and H. Wykes; and the Bureau of Mediation and Arbitration by P. J. Downey. The grievances complained of were as follows: That last August a system of graft was exposed, 77 of the union members having made affidavits to paying Superintendent Dugan to secure employment, and also in connection with the renting of the company's houses; that these men were being discharged by Dugan; that the company had agreed that the men who made the affidavits would be protected in their positions; that Superintendent Dugan and Foremen Reilly and Wersoski were discriminating against those men and discharging them on the slightest provocation; and that at a meeting held on the 7th a vote was taken and over six hundred men voted to go on strike unless the company discharged Dugan, Reilly and Wersoski and reinstated the men discharged. Mr. Foote stated that the object of the company was to have harmony among their men; that on January 1st they had installed a new system; that they had relieved Mr. Dugan of his office as superintendent and had appointed another man in his place, retaining him only as an assistant; that the company had done much in the past few months to change conditions; that all men were hired now at the office and not as formerly by the superintendent; that all houses were rented at the office now and not as formerly by the superintendent; that since September 1st they had laid off over 250 men through lack of orders; that out of that number there were 22 of the 77 men who made the affidavits and that they were laid off, not discharged; and that Mr. Le Fevre would secure employment for most of those men in a week or ten days. He asked the committee if they knew of any graft now going on, stating that the company in so far as they were able did all they could to stamp it out. He also asked the coöperation of the committee or the state or any other agency they might suggest. The committee stated that while there were rumors of graft being paid, they had no personal knowledge of any. Mr. Foote assured the committee that the new rules in effect on January 1st would restore harmony and good feeling between the company and their employees and that he would welcome a committee at any time they had a grievance and he would do all in his power to adjust their grievances.