The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-18
THEY WILL FIGHT IT
Builders Arrayed Against the
Eight Hour Rule
AN ORGANIZED OPPOSITION.
Meeting Of the BaiIders' Exehaage Held
20 DIseass the situation : ttisasle
Of the Brieklsyers-

The brieklarers did rot strike yesterday mOfn-
ing Il aas heir purpose 70 do -. however
bnf the weasiseF was sseh thai working has oct
Of tho question AID sheY lost t1e opportunity
However. every contractor IN the eity Was given
70 understand that the union demanded eight
hours wosx ~ compensation CT s. ard that
tie individual member thereof would refuse 10
Do any more work uatil ths request VAS TN
co1npFoza1sfngiy granted Tie strike s n =
paszIve state 81 present. the contractors seeming
70 fske little lzterest ii Il ard the nssn pisying
a waiting gasae-
some 81 Inc contractors we're indignant over
the statements s=Sde BY the hFicEiayerS, but
seem satisfied wlEt their position A raeesing
Of the Buiider's exchange was held yesterday
afternoon IN = hsl on Front aud Madison
Streets. Nearly All Of the large contractors were
present The proceedings we're secret aud tae
body wes in session for several hcars. Il was
learned alter adjournment that Il
was the unanimous sentiment OF
the members present that the movement be
Teserted. No formal action was taken, as the
brieklayeFs union as body Has NOT yrt fled a
notice OF ITS intention to strike with the seere-
tary OF the exchange. The nesting adjourned
until Monday.
A majority Of the members 81 the 5rieklaye q
unien were on the streets yesterday AMI after
the adjournment Of The Builders Exchange q
toiy Oh fsiem met several members OF the ex.
miltee frca tie union appointed to consult with
like committee from the exchange. Tie Offer
was not accepted
The contractors deny that the present rate of
vsEes Is s. per day for niae n0arS work. but say
i issa per day. They admit that few skilled
mechanics who lay pressed brick aud Sc; terra
Gotta are given ST per day. ont say that the main
body Of hrieklayers get nov but s. per day for
nine hours work. They ssy taat list is better
than the average wages paid in the United
states. The strike, they assert is Only play for
= reduction ii au hour, which they cannot al
ford 10 sfaad.
Mr. Otto Ranke. who Is \ representative builder
and contractor said: I'm midsummer Of isss
had three buildings the Boston aud Karn blocks
and large addition 10 the gas house under con-
stTuetlon, aud was employing seventy. ire brick
layers The men we're working ten hours for
-. One Saturday nighs my men notified me
that on and alter the following Monday they
would w.rk but nine heirs day, and would ex-
pectthe same pay. bad figured very eicse on the
buildings and was under contract 20 complete
them in . certain time. Wen, I was at the mercy
Of the men and had 10 grant their demand aud
! went shead at a loss. In January. 1SS9, the
union passed a resolution that for that year
nine hours should constitute 4 days work aud
81 the pay. Wei. Just after the fire the members
individually, with the sanct'oa Of the union.
sent tie wages up 20 IS and even higher in
nary. The raise lasted during the rush: bat
now pay my men with a few exceptions IS
per DAY Tor nine hours work And what does
the union wani9 Il throws an hour OF the
working time and wants the same pay. ] viii
not submit To this demand because cannot af-
ford it. figured very closely on ths buildings
am pnstiSg up and cannot work At a loss
This eight hoar business besides being unreas-
onable. Is unjust 20 the hodeaFriers
and laborers. For each bFieklayer we work two
men. Now, these men are perfectly satisfied.
II the b.icklayers work bGt eight hours, We will
have 10 cut their hours, aad we cannot cut
their wages: they arc low enough now. / am
satisfied the majority OF the members OF the
union do not sanction this strike; know many
OF them do not
The contractors state that they ere willing 10
let the men come back any time they desire st
the nine hour s. per day plan, but II the men
refuse they are welcome 10 a.
y. 8 Potvin, the Denny hotel contractor who
only employs picked men and at he very best
wages, said last night that he would not oppose
the movement. although Ii would add mafegi-
ally 70 the east OF completing his big contract
During the many years he has been engaged In
contracting and building he has learned that il
is policy 20 pay the Dess wages and get the best
woFkmen. Under the neg schedule he would
certainly employ no seeond-class men Tie
thought that many contractors were 50 situated
that the eigEt-hour system would injare them
materially, and ne felt very sorry Tor them: but
nc had nothing whatever to sag against the
movement
Architect s. J. Meany when asked the effect
the strike would have on the contractors and
owners OF buildings, said "ft viii be a most
serious thing to the contractors II they arc
obliged 20 reduce the hours OF work with
the same rate per day. Many Of them have
figured so close on thar work that the reduction
OF an hour Gay viii not only cntany profits OF
which they might have male. bat viii actually
compel them 90 60 ahead ~ loss