Allege That Contractor Fail to
Ilive Up to Eight-hour-Day
Affecting.
NO AGREEMENT, SAYS EXCHANGES
Contractor Says Those Not Satisfied
With Wages or Conditions May
Quit Work Is Offered Them in
Washington at Higher Wage.
Electrical workers of the local union,
No. 66, announced last night, through
their business agent, W. P. Neblett, a
strike on W. U. Jenks, electrical contractor, alleging that his firm failed
October day to live up to an agreement
entered into with representatives of
the union to put in effect on May 1
and eight-hour day.
The union claims that, along with
other contractors, Mr. Jenks agreed,
at a conference between workers and
employers brought about through the
good offices of an agent of the United
States Department of Labor, to grant
the union's demand for an eight-hour
day as one of the conditions for calling
off the strike that had been determined upon on April 1. All parties,
Mr. Neblett claims, entered the agreement
after the Federal agent had made
an appeal to their patriotism, pointing
out the desirability of good feeling
and harmony in these critical war
times.
With the exception of Mr. Jenks,
said Mr. Neblett last night, all the
contractors put into effect the new
agreement yesterday upon the refusal of Mr.  Jenks to adopt the new arrangement, the union called a strike directed solely against his firm. Mr. Neblett said that he has received a telegram from Washington offering to employ all the men who cross strike at 75 cents an hour, and that he would take all the strikers to Washington tomorrow unless Mr. Jenks concedes the eight-hour day with a rate of 50 cents an hour. 