The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-07-07
COAST SAILORS RIGHTS.
Investigation Before The Labor
Commissioner.
The Depression in the Shipping and Lumber
Trade-Large Surplus Of Unemployed
seamen-The Rotation Rule.

Before Labor Commissioner George n
Waits yesterday afternoon was resumed the
investigations into the relations of the Coast
Seamen's Union to the ship-Owners. Z,
NJ. Herrick. president OF the Pacific Pine
Lumber Company, was first examined by
Mr.. George Williams. representing the
Manufacturing Association.
The present condition of the shipping
trade Of San Francisco, the witness testified,
was very much depressed. Oger-produc-
ton is the cause of the depression in the
lumber trade. So far as he was ad vised,
there was large surplus OF unemployed
sailors in this port. The principal objec-
ton TO the Coast Seamen's Union on the
part of ship-owners were the arbitrary ex-
actions and wanton exercise of power by
the union.
CONCESSIONS TO OWNERS.
In two cases, which witness specified,
the union bad made concessions TO the
owners which seemed to be equitable. On
the Atlantic coast the wages paid TO coast
seamen were $50 TO S25 a month, and to
sailors on foreign voyages So TO $50 a
month. The system Of rotation was unsat-
isfactory To both owners of vessels and
the individual sailor affected by the sys-
TEN. TIE system arose out Of the surplus
of sailors. 1t requires members Of the
union to leave their ships after their voy-
ages and allow the unemp lOYed sailors
Among their number TO take their places.
Witness knew of one man who sailed con-
tinuOusly for Il years who had been barred
from employment by the operation of this
rule. Taking sailors from their vessels,
cutting lines and destroying property were
some OF the devices resorted to by members
OF the union. These actions always arose
out of attempts to ship DOD-uniOn crews.
Ship-ownerS would not stand On a matter of
So or SO month advance on wages when
trade was active.
NOT HIGH WAGES ALONE RESPONSIBLE.
Both NJ. NJ. McGlynn and Andrew Furu-
seth, secretary Of the Coast Seamen's
Union, crOss-eXamined Mr.. Herrick, who
admitted that other causes might account
for the dull times in the shipping business
ss. for instance, the people in the country
holding their wheat Tor higher market,
The bOaTding-master system he did not con-
slider 10 be generally in the interest of the
sailor. He believed that the ship-owners
fully recognized that the Coast Seamen's
Union had been decided benefit to the
seamen. He admitted there had been trou-
BILE between shlp-owners and sailors long
before the organization Of the union. The
sentiment of the average ship-Owner was in
favor OF shipping members of the union at
$50 month in preference to ''scab" crews
at S25 month The idle time OF the aver
age cOasting sailor was about month and a
was 80 per cent Of the expense of running
vessel. Mr.. McGlynn read from the ship
ping rules OF the union TO show there was
no such thing as rotation, as claimed
by Dir. Williams. Mr.. Herrick answered
that his Own experience went 10 show that
rotation WAS enforced by the union, though
possibly the fact could not be established
by legal proof. What he principally OBJ
1ected to was the arbitrary conduct of the
men 10 quitting work at the exact second of
tlme. when in some cases few minutes
extra time In loading a vessel would be of
great advantage to the owners, as in the
case OF having to get the vessel loaded in
time to GO out with the tide.
Captain Garfield testified to various ex-
separating anDOyances from which be had
suffered in effOr to ship non- union crews
In answer to Mr.. McGlynn, he SAID the
captains generally hired the sailors, and he
never paid any greater wages than the men
asked. Masters and officers bad no control
over the crews, be said, because Of the In
Huence of the union.
The investigation will be continued at
i :36 O'Clock this afternoon