The New York herald., 1877-11-17
CIGARMAKERS' WAGES.

THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE sTRIKE-THE
VIEWS OF A WELL KNOWN MANUFACTURER.
The fight between tho cigar manufacturers and
their workmcn is stu being vigorously carried on,
and at present it would be hard TO say which party
will eventually strike their colora At first the SYM
pathes OF the outside community were, usual, with
the strikers but as the true facts in the bong
developed people are arriving at the conclusion tnat
possibly they have not SO much to complain at alter
'a. In some Instances, doubtless they have been
oppressed ana their wages screwed down the lowest
figures but again the majority OF tho large
turers most distinctly deny the charges of
wages, and claim that competent cigarmakcr could
do better at the old scale OF prices than people en-
ployed at other labor are ga TO work tor. They
bay that the leaders oil this strike are men who IN
rcahty have nothing to do with the cigar trade
and are only making capital ut the expense gnorant
workmen. They all appear determined to make no
CONCESSIONS whatsoever TO the strikers, are now
satisfied that they Can do without them altogether
during the past few weeks two or three thousand
green hands. mostly girls have been taken by the
manufacturers as apprentices and with very lew
ceptions they are doing wei and RAPIDLY becoming
rerts at the business. During their apprenticeship
thcy are pad 81 week, and as soon us llcy become
competent 10 make cigars they work at the oa piece
rates. In some Instances e'rs thai have only passe
through an apprenticeship OF two weeks are now
working by the piece and earning So and 50 per week.
which they expect to increase 10 sl and sil
az soon IA they become little more prvncleut
in the business This TACT APPEARS to directly contra
dict tho statement promuga by the strikers that
at the old Rates cigarmakers could only make from
81 to 81 per week. Tho strikers stni hang round
their headquarters and tho reei stores also ke
busy serving out provisions aud other supplies Ihe
chairman Of the Executive CoImitteo Oh tue Cigar.
makers Union stated yesterday that there
prospect oi the men accepting the terms offered ny
the manufacturers and nc felt confident that tney
would eventually carry their points The strikers
state that the Cigar Manuncturers' Union o, san
francisco had tele faphed that they would dIscharg
their Chinese help and employ tue New York strkcrs
and pay their passage out to the Pacific coast This
report, however, was contradtced by San Francisco
manufacturer. VINO stated that Chinese labor
much cheaper that no such ocr could nave been made
MANUFACTURERS vIEw.
reporter OF the HERALD called yesterday afternoon
Mt the oce oil Mcssrs Stratton Storm No. $50 Pearl
street, and had talk with Mr.. storm the QUESTION
Mr. Storm stated that the grievances oil tic cigar
that IN reality the wages paid by the manufacturers
averaged higher than those paid Tor labor at other
trades they had been paying from 50 10 $40 per
thousand Tor making cigars aud at those rates good
thaI Is when they work aud do tdIe hall Their
tlmc the dinicuty with many cIgarfnakers ~ this: -:
Ihey come down to the shop in the morning. roll a
lew smokers ana then 30 10 beer saloon aud play
Pinhoclc or some other game Ior the most part
oi the day, WORKING probably, only Two or tnreo
hours Next day they are sick, and then they may
WORK couple OF days OF course at the end OF the
week thcy nave not earned a lair weeks wages. aud
tnen tney ec oppressed. In order to SHOW, however
tbat TINS Is no. mere talk with US, We arc wiling to
cmpsoy Thousand c,garmakcrs, either male or
Icinac, 70 WORK nine aud halt hours per day, and
we VIII pay them salaries Varying from TO slJ per
week, according 10 their proficiency We wi iurther
guarantee tnht twenty per cent the above elul re
ceve $40 per week THIS otter rather ,lcctually
answers the strikers statement tnat cgripaker can
not earn more Than 81 per week IL does MOI matter
very much II the cigarmakers decline 10 w"rl lar
these wages as We are rapidly educating green hands
who VIII soon 10 quito Proficient at the trado.n