The morning call., 1892-09-07
STRIKING GRANITE-CUTTERS
They Say They Will Not
Work Nine Hours a Fay.
The Building Trades People May Bs Asked
to Join the Ston -Chiselers in
Few Days

About two-tnirds of all the granite-cut.
ters employed in this city and Oakland went
on strike yesterday.
The old and never settled question as tC
whether eight or Line hours shall constitute
days work is the fundamental cause
which brought about this strike.
There are minor compli atIons TO be con-
Sidered, but demand ON the part of the
employers made peremptofy that the gran
ite-cutters should accept hereafter 45 cents
an hour as the regulation wages brought
about the present situation.
1he granite-cutterS obtained an eight
hour concession in April, 1891, and their reg
ulation pay was fixed at 81 per day.
If they accepted the as cents an hour
proposition they would have to work nine
hours in order TO bring their days earnings
up 10 S4 05.
Unwilling to do this the union ordered
all its men working in yards whose owners
insisted on the new system out.
The employers state that in the yards and
Quarrles Of San Jose and Stockton the men
work nine hours and that they cannot CON-
pete with contractors who have this great
advantage.
The union men admit that the Garden
and Slough cities pay 81 for nine hours, but
they maintain that the granite. cutters in
San Jose have a contract with their en-
ployers which does not expire until May /,
1898, and which contains the nine-hour
condition.
The Stockton men say the union is SINH
larry situated, only their agreement expires
on December l, 1892. In both these cities
the eight-hour law will be enforced at the
expiration of these contracts.
I'VE cannot ask our men to go back on
the promises they have made 10 their en-
ployers," said the chairman of the strike
committee last night, although that is
n tOPal N tn IL n
and we see no reason why we. who have no
similar agreements, should be made the
scapegoats for those who have entered into
temporary nine-hour contracts"
There are about fifty five men on strike n
the following yards: +. f. Knowles & Co.,
Hanna Il Co (Emanu-El Cemetery, James
Rea (OaklaDd).
A. McLennon's men are peculiarly situ-
ated, because McLennon has lot of un-
finished work In Knowles Il Co. S yard on
Sixth and Berry streets, where the strike
started.
They will visit Knowles this morning and
ask to be allowed to finish up their work on
the eight-hourS a-day basis. III they are re-
fused this permission they will remove the
stone they are working on to some other
yard
the strike and in these the eight-hour rule
still prevails. These are Hulaney 81 Dem
min, Ruffino & Bancbi. Peter GardIna, Col
lins & Co. and ID. Dwyer.
The Granite-cutters' Union Is very conf
dent. They say that 5000 of the men are on
strike in New England since May and that
no more union labor can be had here for
that reason.
Whether the other building trades will be
asked to join the strikers has not yet been
decided on, but such step is ameng the
possibilities of the near futuse.
A year ago the local granite-cutters won a
short strike which was caused by an attempt
on the part Of the employers to pr0aibii
smoking during working hours.
The furniture last night resolved
to allow the granite-cutters the free use of
their hall at 1853 Mission street during the
strike, and the latter will meet to-day and
this evening.