The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-28

Decorators Union gave notice that on
March / a demand would be made for So as
the minimum Tor a days pay for eight
hours work. Also that the Working-c card
system would be enforced, no painter be-
ing allowed 20 work on job with nom
union man. Several times since, so the
painters say, they have attempted to OBJ
tain an expression from the bosses upon
the subject, but the latter have paid no at
tention to the request, and 1t was reported
they had no intention of complying with
the .journeymen's demand on March l or
any other date. This caused the union to
take action, and last evening the following
manifesto or open letter to the boss paint
ers was unanimously adopted:
SAN Francisco, Jan. Of, 1895.
To the Master Painters OF San Francisco and
OGktdEG-GENTLEMEN; Many attempts have
been made in the past by the journeymen
painters to elevate the condition of our trade,
but they have been failures. After mature de-
liberation we have arrived at the conclusion
that the time is now ripe for one more effort
in the same direction, and we now make the
following propositions:
First-The working day shall be eight hours
and the minimum pay for any portion of a day
shall be a quarter OF days wage. Overtime
shall be at the rate of time and half, except
Sundays, which shall be rated as double time
Second-The rate OF wages shall De 80 per
day.
Third-The working-card system shall be put
in force. This means that none but those be-
longing TO the Progressive Painters and Dec
orators Union of San Francisco aud Oakland
or affiliated organizations shall be employed
We have briefly outlined our demands, and
In the event OF your acceding to the same we
propose to do the following in your behalf:
First-We will bind all OF our mem bers not TO
undertake any contracting. In the event OF
member desiring to take any contract he
shall resign from the union and shall not be
eligible for membership there until the expira-
ton of one year. Due notification will be
given TO you in such cases. Seeond-When the
time arrives when you may decide to refuse
payment OF percentages, etc., to house agents
and others, or whenever you may find it neces-
sary to make q stand for obtaining contracts
direct and without the intervention of build
ers or other Intern ediaries, we Will stand by
you and support your efforts in those direc-
tons, and moreover will further assist you by
exposing all contractors who do not live up to
their agreements and contracts as let
If, on the other hand, you refuse to comply
with the foregoing demands we will at once
proceed TO take all the contracts we can get at
whatever prices it may be necessary to make
to secure the same.
We will band ourselves together in firms and
partnerships and offer our services to all per-
sons needing the same, without reference to
wages or time.
You will recognize that if such q state of
affairs should come to pass your profits will be
entirely eliminated, while we viii be no worse
. off than the present outlook of the trade prom
Uses TO make us in q very short time.
The necessity for harmonious action must be
apparent to all, and we as body stand ready
to do our part TO render the conditions of the
trade as prosperous as they can be under the
existing circumstances.
''The painters have been forced to take
this STEP said one of the leading mem
bers OF the union last evening. There
was one feature that will be Incorporated
in that letter and that is that the mini
mum wages of paper-hangers shall be 81
per day of eight hours"
The painter went on to explain few
facts concerning the condition of the
journeymen in the trade, He said that
under the present system the painters
of this City and Oakland are not earn
ing on an average over 81 90 per
week, and even at these rates some of the
best workmen in the City are out of en-
ployment. The reason he gave was that a