The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-01
LABOR'S MAY DAY.
Brewery Workmen Gain a "Gl0r.
ious Victory"
Wages Increased and Working Hours BE.
duced d Carpenters Prepared to Win.
Lathers to Make Demand.

OIL LABOR VIII Degln It's long threatened
movement for reduction of working hours.
From st. Petersburg to Sydney, throughout
Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Ger
many, England, Americaand Australia the
toilers will endeavor to shake off a part of
the weights they have borne since adam
wrought and Eve spun"
Trouble is anticipated in many parts of
the broad area over which this great army
of men and women will move. In Europe
AMI in some sections of this country soldiers
have been ordered to be prepared to quell
any disturbance which may arise, but San
Francisco for once seems to be remote from
any one of the numerous storm centers.
In this city many of the workmen are
already rejoicing over the victory won, and
those that remain look forward with strong
confidence to speedy settlement of the
conflict in their favor
A FAREWELL BID.
The brewery workmen held a midnight
revel because they babe farewell to the ten
hour system yesterday. ALI the employing
brewers and matsters in this city.
Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento and
Boca have announced that on and after to-
day their workmen shall receive an advance
OF 81 per week in their wages, and shall be
Obliged to work but nine hours per day.
us HDl ultduS an increase oil wages
and less hours OF toll to the 420 brewery
workmen, but also that forty more of their
craft Will be given employment. Many of
the employing brewers have already made
arrangements to hire more men.
The Executive Committee of the Brewery
Workmen's Union was in session until mid
night, and at that hour had received a re-
port from the Shop Committee of every
brewery in this section of the State to the
effect that the wOrkmen's demand for higher
wages and fewer hours had been granted.
Then the committee voted 500 to the strik-
ing iron molders.
ONE RESULT OF THE VICTORY
1t is stated that one result of the brewery
workmen's victory will be an increase in
the price OF beer, which the retailer will
have to bear. But this increase, if made at
all, will be light, and the saloOnmen have
made up their minds that triflng advance
can be borne when wages are advanced.
AS an evidence of the benefits gained by
organizing member of the Brewery Work
mems Union stated that in 1856 the men
who were employed in beer making worked
from IA to 10 hours per day, and for less
wages than they now receive.
The plumbers and gaS-itters of the city
will work only eight hours per day here
after, and it is probable that the carpen-
tiers will do likewise. The plasterers are
out of the fight, for they work only eight
hours per day at present.
The members of the four carpenters
unlons-about 1300-will have picnic at
Shell Mound to-day and tomorrow will go
to work at o'clock in the morning. They
will quit work at o'clock in the afternoon.
and anticipate no trouble with their en-
ployers, for their wages will in many cases
be reduced with the amount of labor which
they will perform.
BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
S. FL. Kent, President OF the Builders
Association, employing most of the carpen-
n nit ha1rl
Berkeley aud San Rafael, said that person.
ally he would give his carpenters. of whom
ne employed many, the reduction of hours
they ask, but will not reduce their wages
per day.
He thinks. however, that other members
OIL the association may pursue different
course. He is confident that the eight-hour
working day will ultimately be adopted
throughout the world. Not at once, but
gradually.
city of employment for wage workers will
be the only thing that will retard the move
ment. There are not, he thinks, enough
good carpenters outside the union to carry
on the work that must be done in this city
during busy season.
The Builders Association sympathizes
with the workmen in their movement for a
reduction OF hours, and the President of the
association thinks that employers who do
not favor the movement now will have
iCnooh " Cudukc tutlI
1t was learned frsm another source that
the nrms that may oppose the carpenters
demand for reduction of hours are John
Grant, L. Ii. Day and j. G. Day.
IN THE MILLS.
The men employed in the mills on doors
and blinds will not make their demand for
an elght-hOur day until the 1st of July
They are but recently organized and have
come to the conclusion that it would be
well TO give their employers time to pre-
pare for the change
The Executive Committee of the Carpen-
ters' Union last night was informed of the
mlllmen's action, and thereupon decided to
advise the union to continue to handle ma
terlal made in these mills until tile LIST of
July.
The reason why the millmen's employers
Will not grant the reduction of hours which
had been asked by the journeymen was
given by w. j. Thomson, President of the
Mllmen'S Protective Association, to q re-
porter yesterday. He said:
We have decided not to reduce our
workmen's hours of labor, as they have
requested-that is, not at present. About
five years ago our association was asked to
reduce our employees hours of toll to nine
per day, and the association did so, but
there were seven millmen who would not
grant the workmen's request, but compelled
them to work ten hours per day, as they
had been doing
COMPETING AT DISADVANTAGE.
I'VE were obliged TO compete with these
firms, and have been doing so at dsad-
vantage ever since the first reduction of
hours. II we made this second reduction
we would compete with these men at a
still greater disadvantage"
The seven firms who will not reduce
hours are said TO be Joel 81 Hooper, Wells
81 Russell, Kncaid d Son, p Bolander,
Hatch q Western, James Young and Foley
Bros.
Commissioner Of Labor Tobin, who has
given the elght-hour movement the closest
attention, believes that il will succeed
throughout the world. The first move
ment for limitation of hours, he
says, commenced in the year 1872.
in the English coal mines. 1t succeeded.
and every subsequent movement has sue.
ceeded. The Lathers' Union decided last
night to demand an eght-hour day and an
increase of wages of 81 per day this morn
Ing. The shareholders will follow the ex-
ample of the carpenters.
Many employing painters are going to
give their Journeymen reduction of work
ing hours, beginning with to-day.
The pattern-makers will demand re-
duction OF hours after their annual con-
yenti0n in July.