American Flint Glass Workers' Union & Green Glass Bottle Blowers' Association

CONVENTION

Of the Glass Workers

Opened at Odd Fellows' Temple

Yesterday.

Action Proposed Will Have Important

Bearing on Future of the Industry

— Trades Union Notes.

The special convention of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union opened at the Odd Fellows' Temple yesterday morning with about 300 delegates and visiting members in attendance.

National President T. W. Rowe, of Toledo, presided, and the opening session appointed a Committee on Credentials, of which Henry Leiner, of Wheeling, W. Va., is Chairman.

An early adjournment was had, awaiting the report of the committee, which will be made this morning, when the business to come before the meeting will be taken up.

Later in the week the Green Bottle Blowers' National Union will meet in convention at the Masonic Temple, and early next week, as arranged, the two organizations will hold a joint conference for the purpose of effecting a consolidation of both bodies.

The present meeting will have a most important bearing on the glass manufacturing industry, as the Glass Manufacturers' National Association will also meet in convention in this city in a few days, and conferences are to be held between the employers and unions to agree on wage scales, price lists, and working hours in the trade for the coming year's business, which begins September 1.

The Flint Glass Workers' Union will have as a visitor at its meeting Mr. J. J. Rudge, of Manchester, England, Grand Secretary of the Flint Glass Workers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland, the association he represents being one of the largest and most powerful of the trades unions in the United Kingdom.

One of the most important matters to come before the glassworkers' meeting will be the future attitude of the union toward the glass-blowing machines which are rapidly displacing hand work, and according to the sentiments expressed by Mr. Rowe last night the feeling is rapidly gaining ground among the men of the craft throughout the country that it would be a mistaken policy to further antagonize the general introduction of the machines, and that the part of wisdom would be to join hands with the employers in developing their best possibilities.

This latter course was the action taken a few years ago by the Iron Molders' National Union toward labor-saving machinery in that trade, and it brought forth the most gratifying results for both employers and men.

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