Labor Dispute Clouds the Construction of the Elks' New Building
Organized labor in Everett confronts a local fraternal order over the use of non-union contractors.
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The members of the Elks lodge, many of whom are practical, sensible business men, should not allow their building committee to involve them in a controversy with organized labor. In a conversation with one of the members of this committee last week, he stated that he had opposed the letting of this contract to Mr. Sampson, knowing that trouble would ensue. Further, he stated that Mr. Sampson told him he would get right with the unions, but as Sampson’s first move after securing the contract was to sub-let the plumbing to the Modern Plumbing Co., his declaration does not bear much evidence of sincerity. The whole transaction is regrettable. Union labor is a recognized factor in this city's industrial life and is here to stay, always aiding in every worthy effort to upbuild the city. The action of the Elks is in sad contrast to the policy of other fraternal orders, like the Eagles, who patronize union labor exclusively. It is still hoped that a way out of the impending difficulty may be found, but Mr. Sampson will have to abandon his hostility towards the building trades and meet them half way.
“Union labor is a recognized factor in this city's industrial life and is here to stay.”
Everett has a long, fraught history of labor battles, particularly in the construction trades. This 1909 dispute highlights the enduring civic friction between the city's fraternal power structures and the organized labor movement that built its infrastructure.
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