New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-13
Address Of The New-York Operative BakerS
Union 10 the Public,

The Operative Bakers ofNew York andvicinity,
with view Of obtaining redress for the many
grievances under which they labor as a trade, or.
anized on the 18th APRIL 1850, into an Operative
Bakers Union-its objects being the advancing
the interests of the Baking trade and the improv'
ing and elevating the social condition OF its men,
bers; and now, after the lapse of ten months, we
have sgreed to take action on the same, and we
deem it an act OF Justice to our employers, to our
selves and the public, that statement OF the
peculiar grievances under which we labor the
extent of redress which we claim, and the means
v g are adopting for the same, should be fairly
and impartially made. Nothing extenuate nor
set down aught in malice, but plain, unvarashed
tale deliver"
Bakers, from time mmemorial, have been used
more as domestic servants than as mechanics
tbev getting for their labor bed board and, in a
great number Of cases, a certain sum per month,
the amount of such labor being solely aud wholly
regulated by our employers, the journey men oeln5
entirely subjected to their will and caprice com
mencing work at any time required either by day
or bv night and working away till the "otA Is
fnisIed. the day often extending from twelve to
twenty hours, aud IN many cases, on trday
nights 10 twenty.Our hours, without lntermlS'
sion: and taking into consideration that bake.
houses are in almost all cases underground ana
badly ventilated, doors and windows requiring to
be closed in cold weather, from the nature OF our
business; when it is known that we are shut up
for such a length OF time breathing an impure
air impregnated with floating substances and
noxious gases that we then tumble into our dor
Initories often the very reverse OF what tney
ought to be for invigorating the health and re-
freshirg the body by sleep-these, and the after
Bstons Of heats and colds, render us more naoie
than most OF other trades 10 colds, consumptlons,
and all the concomitant evils attending such
vicious system How can it be wondered at,
when such are the facts, that Bakers, as class,
are ignorant and illiterate under this degrading
system Where is their chance OF attending
Meetings Lectures Glasses for mutual I'M
provemert or going 10 church on Sunday Were
the Baker to attend any such, Nature would fail
AID he would be asleep before it was well begun:
Ii is excitement that is wanted-it is bis animal
propensites that are TO be gratfed his inteuec
tuAi faculties a dead letter he cannot occupy
his proper position IN society; and, should ne nave
a wife and family, he cannot discharge Alright the
duties incumbent upon him as parent, and how
cen bel II goes home on Saturday, weary aud
exhausted after his weeks unnatural toll, equal
to two weeks of any other mechanic, and do we see
him an bins and 60 out with his wife and ami'
j. arc view the busy haunts OF men or to study Ma
ture and Natures GOD, or take his youngone on
his kne and teach the young idea how TO shoot
No; no such taste Of terrestrial bliss is in store
for the baker. He also has little heart to employ
bis short leisure time In useiully reading, and,
should bis mind be vacant and his hands unem-
poyeG, he s sorey T. mpted 10 seek relief IN mere
lv sensual and debasiDg indulgences The do.
nestle comforts DO not cheer him; the love OF
v ife OF the tenderness OF a family fail to arouse
him hiE spirit is crushed his energies are pros
trated his affections are deadened his temper,
too. NAV be soured BY the hardships OF his lot -
He flies to the grogsbop browns care, dethrones
reason from her seat degrades himself from ms
high perogstive as an immortal being aud rlyetst9e
Chains stIll closer around him. He sleeps oil tie
fumes Of the alcohol and gets a with wearled
body and an aching heed on that blessed day sp'
poipted az day OF rest unto all. Bat, alas the
Baker is an exception II Is no day oil rest 70
him for on il be must begin the weeks toll,
and while the bells are pesliog 20 attend the
bouse o. God, the Baker is vending bis way
70 TIE Bake house Is not this frightful picture
of the condition Of the manufacturers OF the staR
OF lie Is not its abolition one worthy OF the as
sistsnce Of every friend Of the human race? o ye
Reverend DiviIes, PhUsnthEopists and advocates
Of Missionaries ct home and abroad, when ye sit
down to breakfast on a Monday morning, to hot
bread ard rolls, jus, consider when they were
baked and the miserable condition Of the b sker
doomed 70 a wretched existence-no bright spot
to cheer him on ia his weary journey through life
declared from all social intercourse With his
f.llov nan-from enjoying, be should, the DO
mestic comforts Of life-lrom performing Alright
the duties Of citizen and parent-from attending
lectures on the Arts and Sciences-from Joining
classes for mutual instruction aud improvement
from attending the House Of GOd-irom all and
every opportunity offered in this great City for in
.truction, improvement, recreation or amusement
All are literally shut up from the Baker, who sees
nothing under the present system, but dark Wis
"a Of future wrongs and degradation.
We lave been told that the public are not
aware that such system IS IN existence From
-
statistics lately taken, and which can be relied
nrrr1 there are in New York alone, 2s4 journey
men working day-work' 100 worAing nlsnt'"orA'
400 working part day and night AMI 200 eppren'
tees Surely, when it is known that such mass
Of human beings are suffering under this soul and
bo6v.de stroying system, we may with certainty
RELY on the sympathy and support OF generous
and enlightened public
Wher, in April, we made our very mooest &c,
rnerd mon our employers, that our NUMBER OIL
working hours BE reduced to Il hours per day,
time Tor meals d,J-they choosing the hours
thatvi answer their business best, either day or
night this is the whole Of our demand, and well
ME III we be ashamed that such is the case in the
last half Of the nineteenth centuryl-our employ
ers were generally in favor Of sbOlishing night
work be. thar customers tcOnt take Trend that IS
J0ked he dag D1eUiOus So the order OF Natareh
reversed-day turned into night, night into day
working while people are sleeping, and seeP,ns
while people are working-because, iosoOth'
certain potion Of the public must have no. oresd
in the mornipgl This wrong mustbe Perpetae.eu
$50 say the bosses and, rot 70 ehoIcS ~ ~ -.
bitrsTy act, we agree to work night VI -, III
nubIjc contradict il by their acts bat we are Will
lIbS to believe the public know nothing Of the
wrongs we are suffering-that they nave only 70
ss 80 ausr. Of the facts, that it may be mum.
bered among the things that were. y, LEI as not
-. 80 yyiIl second our effort and support Us in
- Inr IaQdable undertaking.