Strike to close Anacortes Glass plant

STRIKE WILL

CLOSE PLANT

GLASS COMPANY EMPLOYES

QUIT WORK MONDAY EVENING

—FIRES WILL BE DRAWN SAYS

MANAGEMENT.

After being shutdown for three days because of a strike of blowers' helpers, the fires will be drawn at the plant of the Anacortes Glass Co., and the plant will not reopen, so said President Chamberlain, Thursday. The ultimatum to the employes expired at 1 o'clock and at 3 o‘clock as we go to press no one had reported for work. A telegram from National headquarters of the union condemning the strike was received today. A meeting of the union will be held this evening. At the request of the employes the fires will not be drawn until a final decision is made at this meeting, said Mr. Chamberlain.

The company notified the strikers that the furnaces would he kept fired and their places kept open for them until Thursday afternoon, after that, if they failed to return to work the fires would be drawn, and the plant closed.

Always employing union help and with a contract made with the glassblowers' union, the company never has had any trouble with labor and never anticipated any, as its contract with the union is made each year in conference with that body, the contract expiring each year on July 1. Recently the girl helpers at the plant were organized into a union, and on Saturday night they presented a demand of an increase in wages for the girls of 50 cents per day for helpers in the blowship and $1 per day increase for helpers on machines.

The demand was refused by the company with the statement that its contract with the union provided for all wage scales until July 1, and that in any case the company could not afford to pay the increase. On Monday evening following, the helpers struck, forcing the blowers out and bringing operations to a standstill.