The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-06

The BEicKLAYERs' STRKE.-Last Monday the
bricklayers Of this city demanded Is per day.
Although this sum is below the standard wages
paid to competent workmen in their profession
m all the cities, east or west, they were deter
mined, if possible, TO secure the advance with
out resort to q strike, and they accordingly pub
lished an announcement, three weeks ago, in all
the papers in this city, that on and after the LIST
OF June-all union members would require an
advance of 90 cents, so that the plea so fire.
quently urged by employers, of being caught in
a snare, would be void in their case, ct least
Many employers, recognising the business Of the
claim, and remembering also that this amount il
sl,25 less than was paid in many instances Last
season. complied Immediately with the request
Others, true to their nature and reputation,
uuhesitatingly refused; and thus the matter
rests at present
Now, while the city press, without exception,
has taken sides with the employers, against the
men, and resorted to the old trick Of misrepre-
sentaton, we desire TO place the merits Of the
case before the public, and let them draw their
own conclusions. 1t is well known that q
brcklayer, on an average, cannot work more
than seven months out Of the twelve. 1t is also
known that the building trade is stagnant to all
intents and purposes, from November to March.
" course this being the case, all engaged in it,
masOus, plasterers, carpenters, bricklayers, and
painters, are more or less affected
Il is NO argument to say work can be obtained
-
as there are, generally, ten applicants for one
position; and a man who has served = legiti-
mate apprenticeship 10 one profession is not
very apt to serve second to another. Il is
also known that the rates paid to contractors
allow them margin Of $3.50 to o. rs profit
each day to every bricklsyer in their employ.
Now, We ask, in view Of these facts, where is
the injustice Of competent workman, asking at
a time when his labor Is the most valuable, com
pensation enough to provide for the actual wants
Of his family and this s all that the present
advance contemplated Up to the present time
the bricklayers have worked for cae-fourth less
than their brethren in New York have beer re-
ceiving for hours work less than has been
pau IN Oh bOule, NintbuatJ AeutpuLs OF even
in Bloomington in this State, and less by LOO
than they received in many instances in 1867.
1t is needless to say that the charge of being
engaged in riotous proceedings is false in every
respect. They have appealed to their fellow
workmen, as they had an undoubted right, TO be
true to their interests and their manhood; and
this is oil they propose or desire to do
To those bricklayerS NO are working, to use
their own expressiol "for what they can get,7
We have a word to say, We ask il it honor
able, while your associates are struggling man
fully against such overwhelming odds, to obtain
your rights as well as their own for you % be-
tray the interests Of your wives and little ones
and you are doing 30 every hour you accept
work under such circumstances It may be
urged that such curse will but prolong the
struggle. This We emphatically deny. Act as
a UNIT; unite your energies with their. refuse
to be longer made the tool of any party if need
be, offer to complete the work which your e.a-
ployers have commenced, and before Tuesday
next every competent bricklayer in The city of
Chicago, will be working for the union rate Of
wages