Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-17

The Master Painters Give an Expla.
nation Of the Strike.

nation Of the Strike.
THE PROPOSITIONS MADE TO THE youRxrrxrS-
TIE KNIGHTS EXPRESS THEMSELVES AS Salts
'frED WITH THE oUTLook-rHEY SAT- IT rs NOT
AERELr QUESTION OF HOURS.
A committee Of the Master Painters Asso-
citation today made the following statement in
reference TO the strike Of the journeymen paint
ers, which is in progress, in explanation Of how
the matter stands.
Some time In the latter part OF April, 1890,
the Master Painters Association received an
invitation from the iourneymen painters to
meet committee OF theirs to arbitrate the
question OF giving them eight hours per day.
The master painters at their meeting received
the above invitation and agreed TO confer with
them and selected a committee OF FIVE for that
purpose. After several conferences the fol-
lowing proposition was submitted by the con-
ferees on the part Of the master painters;
Resolved, That on and after the LIST day OF
May, 1891. the Masters Painters Associa-
ton OF Washington, d. O.. agree with the Paint
ers Assembly OF the same city that eight hours
shall constitute days work and the rate Of
pay shall be 37If cents per hour.
Resolved further, That If the cxigencies
should arise that the men should be required
TO work over hours that the ratio shall be the
same for any time within two hours. and that
after that time the rate shall he So cents per
hour, except on Sundays, when il shall be
double time.
Resolved further That a committee Of five
from the Painters Assembly and five from the
Master Painters Association shall meet on the
18th day of April. 1891, and that If at such
meeting the confrrees on the part CT the
Painters Assembly shall present petition
standing requesting the above change the same
shall 60 into effect
Provided. That the Painters Assembly re-
scind the l5-minute rule.
Provided further. That when a journeymen
painter contracts for work he shall be consid-
cred master painter and shall be compelled
to withdraw from the Painters Assembly a. a
lourneyman and the Master Painters Associa-
ton be so notified.
Provided further, That the arbitration COM
mittee of the Painters Assembly meet the ex-
ecutive committee of the Master Painters As
ISOLATION in all cases wherever disputes may
arise In any shop belonging to the Master
Painters Association 20 settle any differences
that may be brought before them.
Tho conferees on the part of journeymen
painters asked to have the respective dates
changed April and March is, whereupon the
conferees of master painters asked the COM
mIttee II they were empowered to act for the ir
assembly. Their reply was yes: except so far
as ono OF the provisos would necessitate a
change IN their bylaws. but that they could
recommend them to their assembly and earn
cstly urge the adoption OF the proviso. and ex-
Dressed themselves well pleased at the result
reached.
On the 26th Of May the following communi-
cation vas placed i'll the hands OF the commit
tee OF master painters, entirely ignoring all
action agreed upon by their conferees and
making peremptory demand for eight hours
pure and simple:
JoURSEYMES
HOUSE PAINTERS ASSEMBLY. No. 1898.
KNIGHTS OF LABOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WAsHISGToS. ID. c.. May g. 1870.
Mr.. /. A Brown. Pres. VI. L. A. Washington. u. c.
Sir: At regular meeting OF La 1885, X. of
L., held May %, 1890, was instructed TO notify
you that the propositions submitted by the
M.P.A. could not as n whole be acceded to, and
that the following proposal be placed in the
hands OF your committee FOR consideration:
That on and after April /. 1891. eight hours
shall constitute days work and the rate OF
pay shall be 80 per day with no alteration of
our bylaws. II acceeded to on your part the
agreement shall be signed by both parties and
the same to be published.
Yours respectfully.
&C. L. Waldorf. RS. la. 1885,
The master painters deemed no reply neces-
sary to this communication. in Wow of the fact
that the journeymen painters had ignored
what they had agreed upon in conference. AZ
meeting Of the Journeymen PAINTERS Assem-
bly, held Sunday evening, September IA. they re-
solved to strike for eight hours, the strike to
take effect on the following Monday morning.
and at a called meeting of the Master Painters
Association tho following resolution was unan-
imous!y passed and signed by the following
employing painters:
Resolved, That the Master Painters Associa.
ton refuse 10 accede 10 the demand of Paint
ers' Assembly l79S, for eight hours per day.
Signed-Thomas A. Brown. president; James
81. Hodges. vice president; l. C. Newter. j.
Breen. J. W. Carr, Coomes & Co., d. VI. Frain,
Nj. T. Hobson, ]. Is. Hunt, q. E. Kirk. ]. G.
Lee, ii. Markward, T. A. Newman. J. c.
Covers, G. w. Bonnell. A. J. Collier & Bro.
William Mercer, McMehoe Il Son, F. 0'Brien
T. Halton, p. III. Hiss & Co.. A. G. Thomas, A
]. Hasslip and Hudson q Ulrichf
THE KNIGHTS SATISFIED WITH THE OUTLOOK.
"The outlook is very promising" said Chair
man Denham of the arbitration committee o!
the Painters Assembly when questioned by a
STAR reporter this morning concerning the
| strike "All we want is fair play, he continued.
I've are willing to continue the fight on the
merits of our demand" Unexplained that what
the journeymen painters want is not an in
crease in their pay, but decrease in the
hours of labor. Nine hours has
heretofore constituted DAYS work.
except Saturdays, when they only worked eight
hours. The men have been going to work at
7:30 o'clock in the morning and stopping at )
o'clock in the afternoon with so minutes for
stop work at o'clock p.m.-an hour earlier
than at present. The difference in the pay OF
the men. considering the reduction Of hours,
would amount to SL662s per week.
THE JoURNEYMES SAY
that IL the bosses accede to their demands they
lose nothing, as they (the bosses) have been
estimating for their work on the eight-hour
basis. Some of the master painters have Of
fered an increase of Is cents per day in the
mems pay with nine hours rs q DAYS work,
which would make difference of 1917 cents, as
compared with an eight-hour day at $500.
Its not q question of hours with the
Bosses" said member of the X. of L. assem-
bly, today, 'but it's fight They want to fight,
but guess they will get tired of it, We are
willing to fight it out if they confine them
selves to Washington labor, but if they import
any men we will make bosses of our Journey
men and supply them with material il neces-
sary."
''And do work 20 per cent cheaper" added
another member OF L. A. 1913, X. of L., than
the bosses are now doing it.
SUPPORTED BY THE FEDERATION OF LABOR
The Federation of Labor at the meeting last
night endorsed the strike of the painters for
eight hours and pledged tine support Of the
trades organizations represented In the body.
This fight" said Chairman Denham of tho
arbitration committee. sis not going to be one
between organized labor. We are supported
this time by the Federation of Lsbor and all
other bodies of organized labor. So that per-
sons who work outside of the eight-hour rule
have to be 'scabs' at heart Twisted the White
House this morning aud found only two
mechanics at work on the outside. 1 did not
speak to the men at all because the assembly