The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-17
PAINTERS IN TROUBLE,
Prospects of a Call.Out at the
Union Iron Works Ship
yards.
A Reduction of Wages and an Increase
of the Hours of Labor the
Causes.

1t is likely that there will be trouble
among the painters and employers at the
Union Iron Works at the Potrero upon
the matter OF wages. A report was made
at the meeting of the Painters and Dec
orators last evening that produced consid-
cradle excitement, and which resulted in
the passage of a resolution that the union
rules be enforced and that 50 so sh all be
the wages for eight hours work and all
overtime be charged for at the rate of time
and a half
The trouble seems to have been caused
by the Union Iron Works people attempt
ing to follow the example of paintin g
contractor named John G.. Edmondson Of
900 Brannan street. From statements
made in the meeting it seemed that the
contractor had been employing any and
all kinds of painters to work upon the
Pacific Mail steamships and upon the ships
being painted in the Union Iron Works.
This line required skilled and unskilled
painters.
A while ago he took advantage of the
large number of applicants that daily hang
around the works in the hope of obtaining
employment and he began to hire painters
at 50 80 and work them nine hours and
fifteen minutes day.
The Pacific Mail was paying him So 25
per man per day. so that he made rs cents
on every painter on the job. When the
Mail Company learned that he was making
so much on the work it reduced his rate to
SIS per man, and Edmondson, so the report
went, met the cut by reducing the mems
wages to 81 % for nine hours and fifteen
minutes work. The men stood it. because
they realized that there were plenty out
side Of the gates to take their places if they
-aI ha rlac Il Il
not deal so much with the wages as the
hours, and the small number of union
painters upon that class of work made
resistance lmpracticable.
The painters at their meeting last even
ing, in addition to foregoing statements,
were informed that the Union Iron Works
people have undertaken to follow Edmond
sons example and cut the wages. Ed
mondson is at present painting the
steamer Colon, now being renovated and
repaired at the Union Iron Works. When
the foreman in the works saw how the
contractor operated he made similar
effort with the painters at work upon the
battleship Oregon and the barges that are
being made for the Russian Government
for the Siberian railway.
Considerable OF this work is Of the irst
class and cannot be done by men who are
only fit for whitewashlng chicken coops.
AS rule most of the painters en-
ployed thereon are artists in their
line and they demand So day.
The first break was made on Saturday
night, when the men were paid off and
found that they were receiving the same
wages as Edmondson's men for nine hours
and fifteen minutes work. A few of the
tirst-class painters threatened to quit I'M
less paid So a day for their services. Their
protest was effective and they were paid in
tull. The others accepted what was given
and went off grum bling, and last evening
their statements were made to the union,
and as said it caused much agitation and
discussion. The result of the debate was
that the union men were instructed TO de-
mand 81 so for eight hours work and time
and half for all overtime. Many OF the
memb ers fear that this action will result
in the union men being called out at the
Union Iron Works within few days.