Green Glass factories on strike

NO GREEN GLASS.

Now Blown in the Brookfield Factories.

The Men Refuse to Work Under a Reduction of Fifteen Per Cent. And the Business is at a Standstill.

A complete deadlock exists in the manufacture of green glass goods in this city that is only part of a deadlock in the trade that has extended throughout the country. The cause was an attempt commenced early in the year to reduce wages 15 per cent. and to increase the number of apprentices. As a reason for their action the manufacturers alleged that the tariff was too low to enable them to compete at the existing scale of wages with the foreign makers. On July 10 the men held a convention in Atlantic City and sent a formal reply to the bosses that no reason existed that did not exist before why wages should be reduced. As for the increase in the number of apprentices it would not be tolerated. If the tariff was insufficient it was the business of Congress to remedy the defect.

At the time of the convention the men were not working. July and August are months that go to make a closed season in the trade. When September commenced about one thousand men refused to resume work unless on the old terms. Of these 130 were working in this city. In addition nearly the same number of helpers and boys were compelled to stop work.

The two firms of manufacturers in Brooklyn are Haggerty Bros., South Brooklyn, and William Brookfield's in the Eastern District. Among the other factories closed are the Hawley Glass Works, Pa.; Williams & Co., Poughkeepsie; the Lockport Glass Co., N.Y., Moore Bros., Clayton, N.J.; Whitney Bros., Gladdborough, N.J.; Cohansey Glass Works, Bridgeton, N.Y.; Bodine, Thomas & Co., Williamstown, N.J.; Gren, Woodberry, N.J.; Craven Bros., Salem, N.J.

All of these factories have been closed since the 30th of June.

In various places work has been resumed on the old terms.