The Portland daily press., 1895-07-29
A TAILORS' STRIKE.
$4,000 Employed in New York and
Brooklyn Are Out.
STRIKERS CHARGE THE CONTRAC.
TORS WITH BAD FAITH.
And Claim That the Agreement Made
With Them in September Has Been
More Honored in the Breach Than in
the Observance-TheC Contractors Were
Surprised by the Strike.

More Honored in the Breach Than in
| the Observance-The Contractors were
| Surprised by the Strike.
| New York, July 28. of the Is 600
tailors employed in this city, Brownsville
and Brooklyn, fully. 1s, 600 are on strike.
Mayor Schoenfeld one of the organizers
of the United Garment Workers, called
the men out Saturday night. The strik-
hall, all largely attended. The most
| important was held at o'clock in the
afternoon, and there were fully 5000 peo-
pie present, the hall being packed to suf-
location. A large crowd was. assembled
in the street. Maxi Corfeld presided and
speeches were made by Mayor Schoenfeld,
Benjamin Schweltzer and Samuel Levy.
The speakers urged the strikers to hold
out until their demands were acceded
to, and Mr. Schoenfeld stated state
ment attributed to Contractor Dresden
in morning papr that the men en-
ployed by him went on strike because he
would not permit them to come to work
half an hour earlier than usual, was
| false.
"Our new agreement" said Mr..
Schoenfeld, twill call for SO b ours work
| instead OF go hours as heretofore, fan hour
being taken off Friday on which day the
Sabbath begins 1t will also stand for
weekly wage at union prices. The em-
ployment of union men only the total
abolishing of sweat shops as demanded
| in last years agreem Mt. OF 1880 shops
in New York, 61O now out and the re-
mainder will be out before tomorrow
morning All the men in Brooklyn and
Brownyille in addition and fully 1000 WON
en- employed in button sewing and filling.
The strikers number 1000 in Brownsville,
1000 in Brooklyn and from 10, 900 to IL, 900
in this city. They compose the majority
of branches Of trade as follows: Opera
tors, basters, finishers, pressers and bush
ellers, and intend to fight this fstrike to
the bitter end and we intend to get a
Unless they make overturess.to us in the
course of three days they will be aston
ished by further demands. Somesof the
contractors, in spite of the agreements
made last September. have not paid the
men for two and half and in some cases
three weeks The n veat shops in the
tenement houses still exist, although the
assembly Investigating committee has
done considerable Last of all, the task
system still prevails. Many of the con-
tractors, when employing men, said:
low many coats can you make day,
or how many pairssof pants?' The.poor
man might answer a certain number,
and if he failed to make them or the
contractor found any defects real or imag-
i1,o ho would 6pduotJ q rQrtaf N mt
from the employees wages at the end of
the week. "
At the headquarters of the contractors,
Chairman Benz. Wilkowski today said ::
NAbout the only true statement made
by our employees is when theytsay the
strike has taken us by surprise. An agree
ment was made in September and kept
to the letter and does not expire until
some time between the first and fifteenth
of September. If the men went out the
month of Jewish holidays would be in
progress Our summer work would be
pretty well finished up and the incon-
venience would be comparatively trif-
ing. ;"
By going out now they do us and them
selves out of the little work we have on
hand. They allege we have precipitated
the strike That is not so. Since the
men got the agreement last September
they have been unbearably arrogant.
They now demand further concessions
which we positively cannot grant Our
EN- ployers the manufacturers have,
during the past suffered great losses, and
are in danger of becoming the same as
the cloak trade When we learned there
was a prospect of a strike we sent a
circular to the manufacturers. The
Brotherhood Of Tailors' circular went to
show the terrible condition of the mem
bers of that union were compelled to
nd hot fCrciner N
issue to compel them to strike. The men
are driving SO per cent of the work out Of
New York. Farmers in Maine who ought
to be making hay or ploughing are
making coats. During the past three
months men have been scrimping ftheir
work, assuming to dictate to us how we
shall conduct our own business Instead
of getting ten or twelve shillings for
making a coat as formerly, we now get
eight shillings We are prepared to fight
the matter to the bitter end. We won't
compromise. We are prepared to concede
ten hours work q days work, to be paid
according to the merits of the workmen,
paying the wages at union price. We
have got to have something to say in our
own affairs If the manufacturers decide
to open their shops themselves we are
perfectly willing to agree to it and work
for them. We asked them to do it before
and they refused to do SO. - A meeting of
contractors is TO De nelQ tomorrow n1gnI
and some decision will be arrived at 1t
is certain that no advance will be made
to the strikers.
The executive board of the brotherhood
of tailors met tonight in Walhalla hall.
A committee was received from Newark
tailors, who told the New York men that
applications for individual contractors
setting forth the difficulty, had been
received. They said all tailors in Newark
| were ready for strike. A mass meet
| ing will be held tomorrow. The execu
tive board appointed a committee to at
tend the meeting. The strikers are con-
| fident of success.