The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-13
BRICKEAYERS, WAGES.
A Coming G

Coming Contest I'm the Building Trade
In pursuance OF recent resolution OF the Brick
layers General Council, notices were yesterday
published apprlsing the building bosses that alter
Monday next the wages to be paid to all brlcklay-
ers who are members of the Bricklay ers' Associa-
ton must be advanced to 81 per day instead OF
the rate which has ruled through the season thu.
far, OF So SO per day. Though the building trade Is
short its usual activity this summer, owing to
variety OF causes which have conspired to check
the free embarkatlon OF capital in the erection OF
houses and stores stlll in the aggregate, large
number OF brcklayers are at present employed in
the city, counting those both public and
private edltices now in the course OF con-
struction. Nearly all these are members OF the
Bricklayers' Association, one OF tue most perfectly
organized OF all the trades unions having direct
aifliaton with sister associations throughout all
the large cities III the United States and canada.
Ii a strike Is deter mined upon by the General
Council III New York, 1t Is asserted by prominent
members OF the association that they can rely on
the lull support OF the national association and
all the branches not alone IN the way OF money
ributlOns, but 10y assurance that the places OF
strikers shall not be supplied by Dricklayers IRON
other cities. Besides this the brickiayers CONSIDER
that the bosses, much as they may dislike to in.
crease The wages, yet are naturally in haste to
drive their jobs forward TO completion. Therefore
II IS judged by the members OF the association
that after some little demnr the bosses Will acceue
to their demands and pay the advance OF wages,
which the workingmen consider only just equlva-
hardshps 1t is incident to and the large part OF
the year during which It must necessarily be dis
continued.
As to the bosses, they think they pay now as
high wages as they can 40 without curtailing their
profits beyond a reasonable figure. Their jobs are
taken on the basis Of estimates IN which no allow
ance was made Tor advanced wages, and thus they
reason that to grant the demand iOr the increased
rate will just be taxing So per week for each man
employed from the employers pocket. They
think, too, that in case the society men withdraw
from the buildings their places can easily enough
be rcflied from the thousands in the city eagerly
looking Tor any labor by which they may earn
bread for themselves and their families. From
conversations with several building employers iJ
appears that the demand for larger wages viii be
St0utly resisted, and thar II the bosses are at
length compelled to accede TO the bricklayers'
terms It viii only be after hard struggle and
alter q thorough experiment In the direction OF
finding the necessary number OF skilled brick.
layers In the ranks OF the great army or
the unemployed in the city, whose want
OF work would overcome their scruples against
accepting u rate OF wages below that prescribed
by the association. Vi course the members OF
this large and wealthy union confident that 1t
Is Impossible for the bosses TO fill their places on
the rising walls with ''outside" men, while the
employers seem Just as positive IN the belief that
they can without any great d1icnlty carry up
their buildings by the labor OF artisans who, owing
no allegiance to the association are glad 10 get
work at SO so for eight hours service. so the
matter stands. 1t must be undecided till Monday
when probably there will be q contest TO decide
the relative strength and endurance OF the two
parties.