The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-28

cloakmakers' strike that it is interesting
now that the issues have become clearly
defined and the strikers apparently have
determined to remain out until next Feb
ruary. to look over the ground and see
exactly what led TO this great industrial l
upheaVdl and what the situation now is.
The strike is the largest that has oc-
CURED in many years. At least 1900 per-
sons actually stopped work at the COM
mand of one man, Joseph Barondess, and
almost as many more We're rendered idle
by the stoppage of the machines that had
been run by the strikers. Add to these
at least 10000 women and children depend
ent upon the strikers for support. and the
sum total of persons affected by the strike
becomes enormous
~ ines. as far can be learned, about
four thousand have returned to work
elthef IN the shops of manufacturers who
nave yielded to the strikers demands or
"S non-union workers, and a few have
left this city
ms great strike was not caused prim-
army by dissatisfaction with wages. In
Tue beginning 1t was purely a sympathetic
movement The manufacturers say it was
inStlGated by Barondess purely to crafty
ms vanity. The workers deny this.
THE FIRST TROUBLE
ne ostensfble cause, at any rate, was
sympathy with some 1000 persons who
were striking for higher wages in four
factorieS-those of julius Stein & Co., a.
Better n Co., Louis Graner and J. Blaun-
er Inc employees of these houses struck
ana We're IDLE for some weeks. The Off
GERS of the Cloakmakers Union assert
mat they discovered that the manufacture
cfS were being assisted by other en-
hloyers. They also declare that a secret
combination against the union has been
affected by the manufacture
- was asserted that these four man
uIacturers were having their goods made
up in the factories of others, and on this
presumption it was decided that the only
way to make the strike against the Offend
erS effective was to tie up the entire trade
~ this city. Accordingly a resolution to
TINS effect was passed at a meeting held
IN New Irving Hall, in Broome street, five
weeks ago last Tuesday
The tie-up was complete Even the non
union men became infected with the strike
FEVER. and within two days even houses
like Meyer Jonasson & Co. which had
mate il point since the great cloak
makers, strike in 1889 to employ only non
union handS, were left without man.
great mistake was made by the strik-
erS AZ the very outset. and which is
responsible for its long continuance and
poSSlbc loss NO notice was given to the
employers and no demand was made upon
thereby avert a strike. The first notice they
had OF the movement was when their fore
men ana superintendent Informed them
that the strike had taken effect. To this
'iay no formal notice of the demands of
the strikers has been served on the man.
ufacturers The leaders say:
III they want to return to work let
them come to us and find out what we
want.
SECOND ERROR.
But perhaps even a greater mistake was
the prcaking of contracts with manufac-
turcrS who had faithfully observed their
part OF them, and which had been signed
~ Barondess, in some cases only few
days before the strike occurred.
The strike leaders began TO see in n few
GAYS. however, that the bond of sympa thy
with other strikers was not enough to hold
ulelF followers together they began to
cast around for some other means of
strengthening their cause
Abolition of piece work and the introduce
ton of weekly wages was the new cry
raised, and an elaborate scale was drawn
up and submitted to such manufacturers
as wished to settle with the men 1t was
accompanied with the demand that it be
sIsnei and bond given for it's obsery-
arc,.
When the new move of the strikers be-
came known the manufacturers decided TO
"fSaniH" for mutual protection, and thus
was formed the Cloak and Suit Manufac-
turefs Association, which was Incorporated
With a capital of 100000, the capital con-
sisine of bonds deposited by the members
as 4 guarantee that they would NOT Weld
t. the strikers
The adoption of the weekly wage" cry
was another mistake on the part of the
union leaders. Such a system is held TO he
impossible in the cloak trade for the req
son that not more than one-half of the
operatives are skilled mechanics 1t takes
about four years for cloak tailor to be-
come skilled workman. and the great
majority of the members of the Cloakmak
ers' Union have not been so long in Ameri
ca ana were not tailors in Russia
HOW WAGES ARE ESTABLISHED
i'iece work means that so much is paid
for every garment made. The prices are
figured like this:
Each house has several thoroughly com,
potent workmen, who are paid So a dav.
New styles and garments are introduced
every season, and the price for making
them is established according to the time
occupied by one of these skilled workmen
in making the sample. For instance for a
garment which it takes half day to make.
the workman is paid $3.50. Under this svs-
TEN highly skilled men earned $40 a week
while beginners earned from s. to Sc a week.
The average was from 500 to $25 a week.
1t must be remembered that there is no
work for about six months in the year
The strike leaders found it impossible TO
stir up much enthusiasm this issue so
the assertion was vigorously made that the
piece system gave the manufacturer an op-
portunity to juggle the numbers That is.
that when a price was agreed on between
The union and manufacturer for a garment
bearing certain quality and style number
the manufacturer evaded the agreement by
changing the number and reducing the
prices.
by one device and another the leaders
have succeeded in keeping the great major
lty Of the strikers out until now
SERIOUS OUTLOOK.
The situation now is this: The cloakmak-
ing season, which lasts from Oct 1 to Nov
u. or at the latest to Thanksgiving, is
practically over. The manufacturers have
tens of thousands. The money to keep
themselves and their families during the
winter ought to have been earned in those
two months. The chance for this wear has
slipped away. For this year. at least, the
cloak trade has gone to other Cities New
York retailers have secured the markets
of Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and
other cities for goods, and much of the
trade may stay in those places. This will
decrease the demand for labor in the
cloakmaking industry in New York and
consequently will eventually reduce wages
Then. too. many New York manufact-
nrers have decided to cease manufacturing
in this city. One large house, which en-
ployed 1000 persons in one factory in New
York, has already started three small fac
tories in nearby towns, and will start
many more. Others are arranging to man.
ufacture certain grades Of goods in Europe
starvation is staring the strikers in the
face. Should they decide to give up the
strike tomorrow, many of them would be
unable TO obtain work. Those who could
obtain work would be laid off again in a