The morning call., 1893-01-31
WILL NOT STRIKE.
Drivers of LaundryWagOns
Dissatisfied.
The New Trust Worked All Right, but
Two Laundries Ceased Pay
ing Salaries.

When readers OF THE CALL learned yes
terday morning that mary of the drivers OF
laundry wagons were organizing for retalia-
ton or strike. they felt apprehensive lest
there might be scarcity in the supply of
laundered linen.
But there was no immediate cause for
alarm, as every driver in the city was out
on his regular route yesterday. deliverin z
bundles and gathering in clothes, just the
same as though his pocket had not been
made TO suffer through the formation of the
laundry trust.
All the principal laundries are In this
trust, which was formed for the purpose OF
establishing a standard schedule Of prices
The laundries are all carried on just the
same as they were before with the excep-
ton that two of them compel their drivers
to work exclusively for a commission on
collections.
Drivers connected with the various laun-
dries were interviewed and readily ex-
planned the situation.
THE object of the formation of the
trust" said one, was to stop throat-cuJ-
ting and underhand methods of obtain ing
business. For instance, the laundry which
employs me did all the washing for that
hotel across the street and received $500 a
month for The work. A rival company was
so anxious to secure the laundry work that
1t reduced the schedule price so that 1t
brought the rate on the hotel down TO $3.50
a month. OF course the rival company Sc
cured the washing of the hotel, but our
laundry regained the work by lowering the
price TO $500 month. Under the present
schedule OF the trust this underhand work
Is impossible. and the laundry that does the
best work for ths money receives the largest
patronage.
"As to the drivers It has made little
| difference 10 them. Nearly all the compa-
| nles pay them salary and q commiss ion
VARYING from to 10 per cent on their col
| lectiOns. The kicking Is being mostly done
| by the men who drive wagons bearing names
| OF laundries that did not exist. These
! drivers distributed the clothes gathered in
to the laundry that would pay them the
| highest commission. In some Instances
| they received as high as 50 and 40 per cent
OF the sums collected. Under the new
combine, however, these independent
drivers are shut out. and they can only do
| business by driving wagon bearing the
name of the laundry by which they are
actually employed. No longer are they free
lances, and they must either enter the regu-
lar employ Of some laundry or retire"
Other drivers expressed themselves in q
similar manner. They added, however, that
if strike occurred at all. it would probably
be among the drivers employed by the
National and Electric laundries. These es-
adjustments, which Tor years pald drivers
of wagons a regular salary in addition to
commissions. recently cut off salaries en-
tirely and established a uniform commission
of 20 per cent as the sole compensation fol
drivers.
When the drivers of these two laundries
expressed themselves as being dissatisfied
with the new arrangement their employers
said plenty Of men could be procured TO
take their places. So the drivers organized
aud decided to work until plan of action
could be decided upon.
You can quit any time yau like" was all
the satisfaction the dissatisfied drivers
could get from their employers.
1--WE can't afford TO strike Just now"
said one OF tie National drivers, because
we know that our places could be quickly
filed. We are all looking for other situa-
tons. however. and will quit our present
employ just as soon as we can find more
lucrative work." and the driver threw
big bundle into his wagon and drove rapidly
away.