St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-01
AN EIGHT-HOUR- BASIS.
To-day Fixed for a General Reduction in
the Hours of Organised
Labor. s
Some Uncertainty on the Part of Both
the Men and the Bosses in
st. Paul.
Brief Reviews of the Situation In
the Leading Unions in
the City.
A Possible Strike by the Bricklayers
mo General Trouble
Anticipated.
The Day of EirhtHour.

The Day of Eight Hours.
To-day is May l, and an important day
in the labor world. As result of labor
agitatiOns of recent times. the growth of in
telligence and ambition among the laboring
class and the rapid increase of labor Or
CARNATIONS. popular. demand will be made
for shorter hours of labor. and in many
trades for higher wages, as part of the just
rights of the laboring element that labor or
ganiZatiOn is working to secure. All over
the land trades unions have announced
during the winter and early spring that a
reduction of hours would be enforced on and
after May 1. In some trades the demand is
for eight hours and others for nine. In the
majority of cases the old rate per hour will
be accepted, though in good many the old
wages or even an increase will be asked in
addition.
In st. Paul all the building trades and
some others have been preparing for a
change to-day, though the situation is not
clearly understood by either representative
contractors or laboring men. 1t may be re-
| marked that the movement will be confined
| to labor organizations. In some trades the
| union men constitute the large majority of
the tradesmen in the city, and i'll others
the comparative strength is small.
This will be an important element in the
the success or failure of the movement in
particular trades A large number of con-
tractors and prominent iaboring men of the
different trades were interviewed by a
GLOBE reporter yesterday and the results of
the investigation showed that though the
critical time is at hand. the same feeling of
uncertainty prevails that has characterized
the situation so far throughout the season.
Some trades will make vigorous strike,
others feel somewhat timid and uncertain.
But little that is definite and reliable can
be prophesied regarding the outcome. The
end of the whole movement in this city
remains to be Seen." The contractors are
not at all worked up about the matter and
both sides are waiting the issue. Neither
side seems to think that there will be much
trouble or Stoppage of work, and none of
the contractors seen knew just what the
demands were in more than one or two
trades.
IN PARTICULAR.
The Carpenters union is large and -four
ishing, but there are so many carpenters and
''WOOd-butchers" in the city that they are
yet in the minority, and are consequently
somewhat timid. There are so many men out
of work who have the use of tools and who
work at the business when they can get a
job that If the union carpenters strike their
places can be filed. or at least occupied.
The contractors know this and are not
alarmed in that direction. The union
has notified the contractors that
after May they will work but nine hours.
but have not put themselves on record re-
garding wages. Ii is doubtful if any eX-
tended strike will be made by carpenters
just now.
THE STONECUTTERS'
union is strong, and includes the majority
of the stonecutters of the city. They have
already established the eight-hour system,
and have been working for 35 cents per
hour. On May they demand 40 cents per
hour, the wages paid in Minneapolis, and
all will strike II it is not conceded The
stonecutters at work Oh the court house,
who constitute the Limestone cutters
union, are satisfied and will not take part
in the movement. All stone yards in the
city, beside Mr.. Breen's. employ only men
belonging to the regular union. Two stone
contractors yesterday intimated that the in
crease would be given. One contractor
said: ''If Mr.. Breen pays 35 cents, we can't
pay 40 cents and compete with him."
Another said, on this point: IF Mr.. Breen
can afford to pay 35 cents to the grade of
Skill he has employed, we can afford to pay
so cents" The union numbers 100, and
all are employed. The success of the paint
ers is somewhat problematic, A healthy
organization was effected short time ago,
and work is plenty just now. They prefer
nine hours, but will probably not insist very
strongly Oh that point. They will insist on
raise OF wages, however.
THE STONE MAsONs
recently organized with phenomenal success
and their union enrolls nearly 300, They
have been working ten hours at So. 25.
Their demands are for So. so for ten hours.
with nine on Saturday.
The prevalent wages for plasterers is now
So for ten hours work. The union is not
very strong but asks So. SO for nine hours.
This the contracting plasterers say they can
not pay at present prices for work. April
II the contracting plasterers organized with
forth-nine members. This evening the con-
tracing and journeymen plasterers will
meet to try and adjust differences J. C.
Hanley will address the meeting. If the
wages demanded are not paid, it is probable
that majority of the men will go to con-
tracing themselves, and the balance work
at the old wages.
THE PLUMBERS
are unanimous. The journeymen are work
ing ten hours at $3.5O They ask eight
hours at the same wages The demand
will not be granted so the bosses say, and
the men will strike to-day unless an adjust
ment can be made. The boss plumbers
have thorough organization and as all are
practical plumbers, they will take off
their own coats and go to work with what
help they can get and will work together
and help each other out A contracting
plumber said yesterday that he would be
willing to raise the wages to 81 day, but
they wanted the ten hours. The season
and work demand it. The men, however
are not mercenary. They want the eight
hours.
The fathers organized in March and
agreed to demand an advance of fifty cents
a day after May 1,
The bakers have young and promising
organization, too. These overworked men
ask reduction to twelve hours and stand
ard wages. 1t is also provided that no
workman shall board with his boss. Some
OF the bakeries have agreed to the demands.
and in those that have not there is going to
be strike tomorrow.
The bricklayers are willing to work nine
hours day, but they want to begin work
at Z o'clock and quit at in the afternoon
thCtcUy SdiulilS Iu0 extra UOuf IOr resi-
when done with their days work. The
contractors Object to this and insist that the
men shall begin at 8 and quit at 6.
They say they want to get
the common laborers at work on and about
the jobs before the bricklayers come on, as
by so doing they can better lay out the work
in all its parts. The bricklayers have fully
considered the matter and have decided to
stand for their point. A committee was
appointed Thursday night to confer with
contractors, and unless the matter can be
arbitrated satisfactorily the bricklayers will
strike on Monday.