New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-24
RESULTS OF MANY STRIKES
DEMANDS CT wORKINGMEN AND CONCESSIONS MADE


DEMANDS VI WoNklNGMEN AND CONCESSIONS MADE
TO THEM.
The movement for higher wages which has been
general among the mechanics and laborerS of this
cn HnrnS the last -four months, has IL great part
snoSided, and the only difficulties existing in
the trade-unlons are among those branches which
employ the fewes' men. The three largest strikes
Oh the season lavc been those OF the bakers, ear
NTiverS, and the brewery employees. and in all of
these the condition of the men has been improved,
although the concessions made by employers have
not always been unconditional. The strike of the
pa cls resulted III material changes in their condl-
tl"h Tor The better. Formerly the bakers worked
iiom twelve To eighteen hours Il day, i'll nl-vcnt
latcd cellars, and for their arduous labor and long
c conn, they were paid from IS to %l4 The
result OF the strike was that their Sunday work
abolished, the length of days work was reduced
to twelve hours and in most instances their wages
were Increased.
The first attempt Of the car-drivers to have the
number of working hours lcsencd resulted in failure,
but the men became desperate, and the onicols Ut
the companies that unless some concession was
gwen 10 the drivers serious difficulties would cusur
1t FOR this reason that some weeks after The rs;
attempt, when general strike was ordered the c.ii-
GERS aCccded to the demand for shorter hours. In
some instances offers OF higher wages were made,
put Tie men SAID that they cared more for time 10
devote to their families. and refused to be satisfied
unless the number of hours day was materially
The brewery mems strike occurred later in the
season. and resulted III a nominal victory for the
brewers ana many lncotvenIenccS to the strikers.
some two or three hundred of them being yet out of
employment While the men yielded 10 their en-
poycrS and returned to work at the terms offered,
they received concessions which, with the exception
OF the disputed point regarding Sunday work. were
all they asked and since the trlke ended
many OF them have declared that had they not been
III the hands of ConnunlstlC faction winch seemed
To manage the strike i'll such rs to make CAPT
tai tor itself they would have returned to work in
body much sooner, wi th the same advantages that
they had when they did rctu II.
acre have been many strikes of less importance,
ana with two or three exceptions the men have
gained advances in wages and demands for
fewer hours work. In ono or two instances the
FAILURE Is attributed TO bad manag 'ueut and lack
OF concentration on the part of the men. One phase
OF the labor question this has been the Sa ur-
day halt-hoday movement. Ia England the cur
tom has become general through the efforts of the
society OF Amalgamatcd Engineers, which this
season has attempted to introduce the idea in this
country. The movement has met with mitch oppu-
sllon, Principally on the part of the American me
clltnlcS, VINO prefer the increased WAGES which en-
poycrS choose to give. Still the movement has
and next season 1t Is thought that il will extend.
Another scheme Is the effort of dry-goods clerks
anu statesmen to establish Early Closing ASSOca-
tlon 10y which they hope TO compel shopkccpcrs to
cIoNc Their stores on sundays aud at b. III. week
days one dlihculty III tins movement is he HoWcrV
shoplccpers who ere mostly Hebrews. and W no re-
fuse 40 close their shops at the time designated by
are circulated to obtain the sympathy and support
of the public.
Unies, the employees of the Departments of Public
Works aud Parks are given an increase of wages
they threaten to strike. They have had several con-
ferenceS with 'hc Mayor. through a committees and
thcN were To receive 1IOm him iinal answer Frdav
but the committee found upon visiting the MAYORS
once according TO appointment that that official
had lett the city. The men very indignant at
what thcy called the lncXCusable treatment of their
committee, and II Is proposed To hOid masS-Inrct-
ing u take further measures to get higher wages.