Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-05-02
CARRIAGE MAX ERS
A REVIEW OF THE BIGGEST
STRIKE IN THE CITY.
The Fruits Of Capitalistic Greed.
Skilled Mechanics Demanding
Justice Demarest's Com
mon Sense Busy
Carriage Shop.

About seventeen years ago the
Workmen in one of the oldest car
tIagc factories in this city were sub
itcted to Il reduction in wages of
fifteen per cent. In 1869 an attempt
was made to cut down the wages ten
per cent. more, when the men all
left. and the firm lost large share
Of its business owing to the fact that
they We're unable to get experienced
men, and employed green hands who
turned out poor work. 1t was eight
or nine years before this firm recov-
erred from the effect of turning ont
bad work. Then came cut of six
per cent. Then one of five per cent.
Then one of thirteen per cent. Then
one OF twenty per cent. In 1879
there was regulation Of prices,
making an average raise on all Jobs
combined OF not more than five per
per cent. In 1850 Il raise of ten per
cent. was effected, and the next year
another raise Of five per cent. Then,
in 1883 cut of five per cent. In
May of last year there was a lump
reduction of wages amounting to
about twelve per cent. which was
recovered by the men in February
last. This shop was the best paying
shop IN the city, averaging about
twenty per cent above other shops
except one~-its next door neighbor.
Other shops in the city usually made
the same reduction, at all times re-
tanning the same relative position in
prices to the two shops referred to.
Eleven or twelve years ago the
men were paid $l65 for jobs for
which they now demand 500 III
their union price list but there is
four or five days more work on the
same class Of bodies to-day, which
is caused by here and there Il little
extra work added. This is one of
the highest priced jobs, known as
glass front landaus. Other jobs
have suffered proportionate reduc-
tions, and many of them more.
The present strike of the carriage
makers was caused by these c0ntin-
ual reductions, amounting to as
much as siHY-Ai0e per ccM. down to
1879, or tifty-nine per cent. loss Of
wages at the present day, from origi-
nal prices, as may be figured up from
the foregoing.
The average wages of the body
makers now on strike from the seven
shops was SI3.3o per week, as com
puted from the books kept by the
firms. Now, there is no trade that
requires more skill than that of
bodymakerS engaged on what is
known as heavy work.
The Immediate cause Of the strike
was refusal of the manufacturers
to accept the price-lst of the Car
riage Workmen's Union, presented
about seven weeks ago. Had the
manufacturers accepted the price
list. they would still have had the
advantage Of the men to the extent
Of about 35 per cent. under prices
/ paid sixteen years ago; so that their
obstinate refusal seems all the more
unreasonable.
! One Of the manufacturers has ad-
mitted that they have formed a com
bination pledged to stand out against
/ the mems demands, presumably to
destroy the excellent organization Of
the workmen. In the largest shop
in the city the bosses had a system
Of competition among the workmen,
which their organization will do
away with. so that all similar work
will have to be done for the same
/ price.
The manufacturers az a rule acted
most unreasonable with the commit
tee that called upon them and pre-
sented the new price-list; in all cases,
except at Demarest's, telling the
committee that they would not even
! look at the price-list, and some of