The morning call., 1892-06-18
The SHOEGIRLS' STRIKE.
The Labor Commissioners InVes-
tigatiOn As to It's Cause.
Miss Hynes Tells About the -List-China-
men Offer White Employees Higher
Wages Than American Firms

Labor Commissioner George w. Waits
was engaged yesterday afternoon i'll the in
vestigatl ton of the facts connected with the
strike Of the Women Shoefitters' Union.
Miss Kitty Hynes, secretary of the union,
testified that the WOmen's ShOefitters'
Union was organized in January, 1891, after
the strike in the establishment OF Calm,
Nickelsburg & Co. The cause of the strike
was due to several successive reductions In
wages, which averaged about ST week.
Each shop had its own scale of prices. The
members of the union had since found it
difficult to obtain work because OF the black
list set up by a combination Of the en-
ployers There were, she said, between 300
and $50 girls employed in the city as shoe
filters.
PULLING THE BLACKLIST.
She had been told how Porter, Slessinger
& Co. had pulled a blacklist on a girl who
was denied employment because she be-
lOnged to the Union. From communications
she had received she believed wages were
higher in the East than in California. Chi
nese competition also interfeTed with her
trade. Some of the Chinese employ white
labor. Miss Hynes had been offered SID
week to 90 TO work for Chinaman in this
city. This was five years ago. 1t was higher
wages than white employers paid at the
time. 4 Chinaman told her that he paid
his Chinese sh0e-ftters 81 80 a day and
boarded them.
WOMEN MUST LIVE.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Nickels-
burg Miss Hynes said many of the girls on
strike went back to their work in his eStab-
lishment because they had 20 live. The
light in his factory was very poor and 1t
was cold and cherries in winter, no fires
being provided.
Mr.. Nickelsburg produced his payroll,
which showed that on one payday the wit
ness received SO 50, but Miss HyneS said
the amount represented more than week
wages. He asked her whether it was lot q
fact that somebody had stolen his shipping
book. and taken names of his customers
from it TO be used in the boycott declared
by the union.
Mr. McGlynn told her she need not an
swer that question, and she did not
Mr. Nickelsburg questioned the witness at
some length regarding the charges made
against the firm IN boycott circular. Miss
Hynes insisted that limit, as charged, had
been put ON the weekly wages the girls
were allowed to earn She refused to say
what wages the girls were now getting or
whether they were supported by the union.
MIR. MARVIN DISCOURAGED.
T. w. Marvin, boot and shoe importer
of 569 Market street. testified that he in
tended to establish a shoe mandatory in
this city, but was deferred frOm doing so
because of labor troubles. He objected to
the manner in which the wOrkngmen were
debating terms. ''The whole aspect of
affairs" said the witness, was not pleasing
to us"
Another reason was that wages fuctuated
here more than in the East.
In answer 10 Mr.. McGlynn witness said
he was not aware that the tendency of labor
unions was to make wages fixed and uni
foTm.
Mr.. Guilfoyle of the Shoemakers' Union
asked Mr.. Marvin in regard to the cost of
shoes imported from tile East compared
with the local manufacturers prices. Wit
ness said that the cheapest shoe imported
cost the dealers 81 pair.
Mr.. GuilfOyle remarked that in that case
the goods were either the products OF Chinese
or convict labor
Mr.. Marvin answered that he did not buy
shoes from cOnvcts.
THE QUESTION OF WAGES
Mr.. McGlynn contended that a decent
rate OF wages was absolutely necessary for
the benefit OF the whole community. He
said that he was willing TO admit that men
are discouraged from engaging in manufac-
turing IN San Francisco because they We're
not willing 10 pay living rate OF wages.
Mr.. NickelsbuTg said that he pected and
hOnOTed the wOIklngmen. The avenues Of
prosperity were open 10 ali of them. He
did, however. object TO the noise made by
people who do not work and who make a
living cut Of the workers.
A FACTORY MOVES EAST.
Joseph MUIR of i. MUIR IL Co., importers
of shoes, told how year ago his firm which
employed between 12j aud 40 persons
closed their mandatory in this city on ac-
count Of trouble with the unions. His firm
was now manufacturing in Lynn. Mass.
They set up a factory for a while in Bur-
hngtOn, VI, but alterwaTd removed to Lynn
McGlynn inquired whether a bonus had
not been offered TO MUIR IL Co. to remove to
Vermont
Yes" replied the witness. "but the
bonus had nothing to do with our removal"
He added that wages were lower in Lynn
than in Burlington. As a rule the firm re-
Iained all their former San Francisco Gus
toners, and, In fact made a good many
new ones. They sold no goods East to
speak of. The difference In wages between
California and Massachusetts enabled them
to keep in the field.
CALIFORNIA SOLE LEATHER.
They used California sole leather only
They paid the freight on the leather from
California to Massachusetts and on the
manufactured goods back to California
Another advantage secured was that they
did not have to lay any stock down. for
they could obtain it every day. Thus they
were making exactly the same class OF
goods they made in California at a lower
cost. In the East the employees received
less per piece, but they turned out more
work in day.
McGlynn-That's what you call sweating.
Witness-I don't know what sweating is.
THE DOUBLE-NEEDLE MACHINE.
William Granville. shoe-manufacturer
of this city, testified that the factory of
Calm, Nickclsburg 81 Co. was well lighted.
He had never seen any better. lie also
said that with the double-neede machine
the same work could be done In As minutes
that required 60 minutes before its intro
duction. He knew nothing about black
list but he had put up notice in his shop
that he did not want any union workers.
Albert Durham of Buckingham, Hecht &
Co. testified to the facts connected with the
strike in that establishment when 400 en-
plUyes walked out because the firm refused
to discharge one Sp0ifOTd, a nOn-union man.
A. Altmayer superintendent for Calm,
Nickelsburg IL Co., testified that he never
heard any complaint from the girls about
poor light in the rooms.
This concluded the investigation Of the
shOegiTls' strike.
THAT SUMATRA TOBACCO