The New York herald., 1872-07-11
AMASTER BUILDERS ACCOUNT
The Carpenters Parliament at
Bloomsbury.
"A WoRKMAN'S STORY.
The Herald Correspondents Interview with
Representative Men on Both Sides.
LONDON, June "a, 1872.

What would most strike an American about the
smovement which Is now exercising the London
building trades Is the length Of time that it has been
banging on. Can you credit that body of artisans,
which we are told will not be less than ffty thou
sand men. commenced nearly twenty years ago to
agtate for nine hours IS days labor, and are still
lighting for it like grim deathP 1t is, however,
fact and may remain fact for ages to come. The
demand for reduction of time was first raised in
1853 when builders were working, as rule, fifty
eight and half hours per week. In the autumn Of
1857 the carpenters and oiners who have held their
ground In the forefront Of the battle ever since, in
stituted regular nine hours crusade by appointing
delegates from fifty different shops in the metrOpo
lis to concOct measures for promoting 1t. In June,
1858, mass meeting of all the building trades
was held in Exeter Hail. when the nine hours motto
was adopted with acclamatiOn. memorial was
presented to the masters, informing them that the
time had come when there must be better equall-
zation OF the hours Of labor in consequence of the
great increase both of population and machinery.
1t was averred that reduction Of labOr-then ten
hours day-by even one hour would be great
boon to society in general, and would have bene-
dlcial tendency as regards employees in improving
their moral and social condition. The masters re-
piled through the Builders Society, which then rep
resented the principal firms in London, that the
by their method of presenting the request; but
really 1t could not be acceded to in the existing
state OF the trade. In November, 1859, the whole
of the building artisans combined IN sub
Bcribng o second memorial, reiterating their
demand for an hour per day less labor on the
existing rate Of wages. 1t advised the masters in
6heif future contracts to have regard to the nine
hours for the memorialists were so sangune as to
consider the cOnsummatlon Of their desire in
evitable. The masters having repeated their denial
of any concession, Trades Union Conference was
formed at Westminster, secretary of which
honest George Potter rose one morning to find
himself famous He did not carry the nine hours,
however. The masters retaated rather spitefully
by pledging themselves to an engagement against
employing unionists in their shops This made
double questionable masters standing as stanchly
TO their ''infamous documentn as the men did to
their nine hours day. Ineed not carry you through
the whole painful history Of one of the most de-
Sermined strikes ever witnessed in England. After
Judges, agtators and philanthropists had vainly
rendered their mediation the struggle burned itself
out. The masters withdrew their "infamous docu-
.ment" and virtually committed themselves to a re-
cOgnition Of unionism, which was indirectly an I'M
mense gain for the men. The latter had to accept
free pardon in lieu Of the nine hours, both sides
,resuming work again very much las they were."
THE PRESENT NINE-HoUR REVOLT.
But the masters had only gained loss in defeat
ing the nine hour movement. Not only masons
and carpenters, but all classes Of artisans in the
United Kingdom held so resolutely to their point
on reduced hours of labor that, as George Potter
predicted their desire was bound to be consum-
mated sooner or later. 1t has made headway in
the English provincial towns; SO much so that in
all important trades the nine hours day is almost
a lrr1Ia Y0u will no prat ta
and successful struggle that the engineers
made for 1T last autumn against iron autocrats,
like Sir william Armstrong, OF Newcastle. The
carpenters of London had been nibbng at a re-
moval of the nine hours contest for couple OF
years before the engineers went in and won. But
they could not carry the non-union men with them
sufficiently to warrant the hazardous experiment
of strike. This season there was general STIR
ring Of the dry bones, and where everybody had
been languid or lukevarm before was of one
mind now that human patience could bear no fur
ther delay. The masons moved 1rst and threat
ened their employers with strike for the nine
hours on the 1st July. While negotiation was pend
Ing their memorial the carpenters, who are o
more headstrong lot put in an intimation that
falling the concession of nine hours at nnepence,
they should strike the 1st OF June They did with
respect to two selected shops, which were sup
posed to have the most work on nand-Messrs.
Brass, Of Old street, St. Lukes, and Jackson n
Shaw's of Pimlico. The Masters Association sum-
moned the trade, as they had done in 1859. and
found out the disposition of the London builders In
general toward a lockout.
THE ARBITRATION SCHEME.
1t was resolved at general trade meeting that
the mems ultimatum should be referred to Lord
Derby and the Marquis OF Salisbury The men
answered that they did not want the interference of
aristOcrats who did not know "hawk rom a
handsaw." They would not bulge an inch as to the
nine hours, nor would they allow the men they had
called out OF the two shops abOve-named TO return
to work pending arbitration. A mass vote of the
carpenters was taken in their several shops on
these points, and it rejected the proposals of the
masters by overwhelming majorities. general
lockout was then declared and commenced on
Wednesday last Up to Saturday night siXty-six
firms were reported to have locked out their men
masons, bric&layers, carpenters and all.
THE SITUATION DESCRIBED.
In view of this dead lock you wish, Of course to
hear both sides OF the question. l have walted
therefore, upon an influential and Intelligent
builder. whose account Of the situation you may
accept as fairly representing the feelings of the
masters. Afterwards had an Interview with three
nasons who nave actively promoted the the stsIs agisa
committee appointed last week for the special
direction Of future proceedings and the other was
amalgamated union. The masters representa-.
tive was Mr. Plunkett, OF the hrm or w. Cubtt
Coy, the most extensive OF the hlghclass builders
IN London. You must allow the men, at their own
earnest request, to remain anonymous one OF
them told me he had been three years
out OF work through the publication =, OF
his name IN connection with strike. Another
told me he had been discharged through
having attended on two deputations prior to the
commencement OF the lockout interviewed them
at the head Office OF the strike committee, by whom
they were recommended to me as intelligent ana
Impartial men, There can be no hesitation as TO
their bona udes nor any doubt about the length OF
their experience as London masons, whchs almost
as old as Mr.. Plunketts experience OF building. This
gentleman has been more than generation In the
trade, and has been officially associated with all
the principal movements. Before there was any
apprehension OF strikes he acted Treasurer to the
Builders Society-a half union, half club--which
was maintained by the nabobs Of the building trade.
During the strike OF 1859 the outside builders
called In and wider organization formed under
the name Of the Builders Association. Mr. Plunkett
was elected its chairman, and as such he prepared
report on the whole progress OF that contest. In
the early part OF the present month he chairman
OF o meeting which resolved again to convoke the
general trade and to resuscitate the Builders Asso
cfati0n But since the lockout he has not borne an
active part In the movement, and the probability is
that ne may gradually disengage himself from q
situation tnat hampers his relations toward his own