New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-30
THEMES OF WORKINGMEN.
HOURS OF LABOR.


ING SEASON.
The agitation among the master mechanics
of the city for return the ten-hour system halls
little at present The resolutions passed at the meeting
of April 7. the Mechanics and Traders Exchange,
we're uncompromisng in the assertion that no more
iourneymen should employed az eight hours on and
after May 4 but the paper which has been circulated
pledging sgners carry out the plan has not re-
ceived very large number OF signatures Whether the
effort shall be general throughout the building trades.
or shall be confined to some resOlute in
dividuals in several trades appears 10 depend mainly
upon the attitude of the master masons. Among these
there is yet no general concert Of action. The who
do not complain OF the effects OF the egat-hOur system
are few but the men who have made up their minds
fully to set out with determined effort next month 10
do away with it, or least. who willing to
are not very Some say that there Is so
little work to be had that it is not worth while to
stir up contest with the Others declare that they
contracts finish at appointed time and cannot
run the OF losing their w0rmen several assert that
IL they could the cooperation of the property
owners and arrange to be relieved OF the respCn-
sibhty for delays and losses which might be
brought about by lockout, they would unite
heartily in the effort for ten hours while others think
that the time of attempt to abolish eight hours
should have been put either earlier ater-n the first
part OF April late in June. Leading men in this
trade talk OF holding meeting Of master masons within
few DAYS 70 get definite expression from all OF their
class and tx exactly the amount OF cooperation ina
can be relied on in this line Of work. No time has been
SET for such q meeting as yet. Among those who are
earnest for the en-hour effort it is said that many OF
the ourneymen brckayers ready labor ten hours
If they can get increased which they declare en-
ployers are willing 10 give for increased service. In
past years s. has paid for good wOrkmen at ten
hours. and = 50 the regular rate two
wears ago. Last year AT eight hours 1t was
a. and now, while some masters are paying
81 for the s. 80 the common rate number
OF the master masons profess % be expecting time
when. n there is conflict with labor good proper
ton OF the themselves will ask for ten hours for the
sake OF more paw and Of these hopeful employers
shrink from trying 20 make change till that day comes
This sangulne view finds confirmation IN the words
Of the leading society men. who, whether they truly
represent body Of lahOrers NOT have given voice
90 their demands and large extent controlled their
action in the past These leaders claim that any in
fngement of the eghthOur win be resisted TO the
utmost, and that the men are unit in otectlng to
return TO ten They that the masters have
made Their contracts on the eghthOur basis, and they
should succeed in breaking down the present system
there would be nothing saved 10 property in the
cost Of building. for this season at least as the
difference in the price OF work would into the pockets
Of the masters the other hand, prominent master
mason who has hIgn opinion Of the power OF the
trades unions that he declares his intention OF keeping
out Of any en-hour movemenD says that many employ
ers have their bids for contracts much lower
this season than last that they must have
reckoned on a change in the hours of labor.
In this wav he has been underbidden in every
contract he has tried for this year although last
Spring his bids brought him many contracts az he
coud attend to- IN explanation some Of these lower
bidders say that IL was useless try 10 get contracts
trusting 70 the eghhOur plan, because by means Of IL
the cost OF building great that capitalists Will
not invest. Master masOns admit that If there Is
general struggle for the ten-bour plan next month.
mart of them will have TO clock Out their men, but
all deny that there would be universal trouble The
iolrneyen bricayers have four lodges, which take III
nearly nneenths Of the brickayers in the city, whose
numbers are estimated at from 1850 TO 3OOO some hay
ing left the city Winter. Two of these lodges are
German and their officers claim to have considerable
funds in their OF the other lodges, No.
claims to have $1,000 fund for strikes, and No
said to have 5000 These funds have not been much
dninished by benevolent appropriations during the
Winter AS the unions rarely encroach on their strike
funds 10 relieve distress, In past strikes 1t has been the
rule for the lodges to allow unmarried men out OF work
81 per week. and married SD, out Il there should
be a lockout in May, the allowance would be determined
then Itsestnated that Onehalf Of the brcNavers
in the city now have work at their trade. Delegates
from the brickayers lodges have been acting with rep
resentatves tradesuniOns among the carpenters
ulasterers sonecutters labOrers others efforts
10 consolidate the resistance TO the enhour movement
nv uniting the various unions oppose it; but there
have been divisions. Some OF the carpenters Organiza
TONS together with the pasterers and some Others, have
been meeting in one convention, while brieklayers
lahorers stonecutters some carpenters, derrickmen
and printers have by delegates in organization
which was formed originally 10 labor for the remOva! OF
supervising Architect Mnet. but which has now en-
arged scope resistance against all aggressons on
the eight hour plan
The master carpenters are more united and more
strenuous for ten-hOur effort next month than the
master masons The society among ourneymen
rnenters have been disqueted than those OF any
other trade by expectation OF the necessity OF srug
gle to save the eghthOur SYSTEM Their leaders have
been urgent In agitation among the other rades-nnons
for com bined effort and have declared that they ex
Deoted to be first attacked" But Of general move
eut among the master carpenters there does not APP
near To be 40 much likelihood there seemed To De
feuy DAYS ago. The number OF eighthOur advocates
among them is small the number OF those VINO nave
contracts 10 finish and do MT wish TO hazard CONNECT
with the iourneymen is larger, whlie the NUMBER OF
those who are dissatisfied with the attitude OF the EN-
Movers in other trades is larger STILL There are some
who assert hat they will declare lockout OF eight
hour the 4th Of MAY whether the rest Oh
the trade ioin in the not adding that they
cannot bear longer the evils OF the eighrhour plan
More say that they are very anxious for a change
but that it would not be fair TO require
their tourneymen TO work ten hours uuiss'
the majority Of the master masons aud Iaspfba
,,iasterers and others require their men 70 40 sLo
P, s,sn n il were practicable make the cDshgc
ytthout the support the other trades Ihey copai
mar the ma Ter masons general Will mol lc'nIL.
tbeselves fully 10 the movement, ana that t1ere
mar oItspOken determination IN the other tIals W
ia necessiry for a successful movement iAey tninA
tbat moi ninR ike general lock out among w journey
men carpenters would b. required II there SeIe To
cered Ebert in the trades, asserting that Iuorc 80
oppositon to return to ten hours than among otleI
iourneymen their work not exhaus uhs II AsP ny
Tor ten hours. There three OrgAnlzdtLns anVhk
iournevnen carpenters the officers OF wicn arr Iouu ia
Opposition TO ten hours The numbers eaned ny lhese
As ia the with ali the trsles unons- IL
much larger than the sum OF tbelr aclVs mcHl-
bers, who have paid all their dues anu N tnyy