The Seattle Star Newspaper, November 24, 1919, Page 20

Es WS SL SR RUN IRENA ERRATA SH eR NaN IYER ORE AG MRR RE PRT Spee eRe Ra ae pm ce mee mar me om Toc apeAlit ee viax Building Owners Support American Plan PLEDGE THEMSELVES TO “OPEN SHOP” CONDITIONS ON ALL WORK THAT COMES UNDER THEIR CONTROL The Building Owners’ and Managers’ Association, composed of the owners and managers of most of the office buildings and other commercial structures of Seattle, has adopted the American Plan of employment by a binding pledge of its individual members. - Hereafter, in the construction, repair and operation of buildings, the members of this Association will em- ploy help without regard to whether or not they carry union cards. ' This action has been taken in furtherance of the best interests of Seattle and in support of the movement to end the domination of radicals over labor and industry in this city. In the past, this organization has assisted, to the best of its abil- ity, in the efforts to maintain peace in industry so that Seattle could go ahead and prosper. Especially in the building industry, which most directly affects us, we exhausted every effort to ar- range terms between employers and employes which would per- mit of uninterrupted progress on construction work demanded by the growth of the city. The failure of those efforts convinces us that it is impossible to have peace and continued prosperity in Seattle, as long’as we continue to deal with the radicals in control of organized labor. This organization was represented on the committee of seven which unanimously adopted a tentative agreement between the contractors and the building trades which, had it been ratified by the unions, would have apa the building trades strike, with its disastrous results to building in Seattle and the loss of two months’ pay by many of the strikers. The failure of the unions to ratify this liberal agreement espoused by their own representa- tives, convinced us that no agreement fair to the employers and the public can be made with organized labor in Seattle under its present leadership and control. Because of the unreasonable attitude and demands of organ- ized labor, this organization gave its undivided support to the Master Builders’ Association in their long fight against the ruin- ous demands made upon them and their final determination to throw off the yoke of the “closed shop” imposed upon them by organized labor which has gone so far as to violate its own prin- ciples and deny to men their right to work. The Building Owners’ and Managers’ Association stands squarely in defense of the right of men to work wthout interfer- ence or intimidation, whether or not they belong to unions. We stand squarely for the right of an employer to hire whom he will, without asking the permission of any autocrat of labor. We are unalterably opposed to the clause which has been in- cluded in so many building contracts in Seattle in the past, provid- ing that none but union labor be employed on the work. As Americans, we shall stand for our own rights and the rights of American workmen employed by us and shall condemn any employer of labor who hereafter discriminates against free Americans by agreeing to employ none but men who carry the card of a labor organization. In furtherance of this position, our members have signed the agreement below. WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, MEMBERS OF THE BUILDING OWNERS’ AND MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, AGREE WITH EACH OTHER AS FOLLOWS, TO-WIT: FIRST: That in the employment of labor, skilled or unskilled, for the construction, repair or operation of buildings or in any other undertaking in the City of Seattle, they will not employ labor except on the American Plan of employment. SECOND: That they will not contract with others for the construction, repair, alteration or operation of buildings or other structures, within the City of Seattle, except when such contractor employs and engages to employ his labor, both skilled and unskilled, on the American Plan only. THIRD: By the American Plan of employment is meant the employment of labor, skilled or unskilled, without requiring, inducing or influencing the employe to belong or not to belong to a labor union or labor organization. In the enforcement of this pledge, those branches of the building trades in which agreements exist with organized labor are naturally excepted, until such time as existing contracts expire. Building Owners and Managers Association of Seattle DAVID WHITCOMB, President First Vice President “PAUL C. HARPER, W. W. MILLER, Second Vice President J. R. STIRRAT, Treasurer BOARD OF TRUSTEES JOHN AGEN C. B. BROWN R. P. BALLARD L. J. COLMAN J. T. CURRAN ISAAC COOPER _ R.K. DYKES G. FOLSOM J. W. GODWIN C.E.HORTON’ W.A. T. N. HALLER R. J. KINNEAR —H.. J. SINGLETON