The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-21
The Local Union Ordered to En-.
force Recognition by the
Bosses.
THEIR ENEMIES WEAK SPOT.
Association Members Fear the Enter.
prise Has Been Selected for
the Boycott.
TSketched By a "CdA" artist

Before many days pass there is likely to
be another upheaval in trade union circles.
The ultimatum sent last Friday by the
Brewers Protective Association to the
Brewery Workmen's Union, in which the
bosses refused TO recognize the union, has
not been received with pleasure by the
latter body.
VIII en- the union made the demand for
recognition it announced that it was pre-
pared to make bitter fight to accomplish
its ends and the refusal of the bosses was
plainly an acceptance of the challenge
1t leaves but one thing to be done-fght,
and the machinery TO this end is already
set in motion.
The case was practically placed in the
hands of the San Francisco Trades Coun-
Gil and by that body referred TO a special
committee, consisting of Thurman, Nc
Arthur and Walters This committee met
last evening and discussed the situation.
The committee regarded with interest a
bit of information received from the
enemy's camp, and which it was not in
tended the union men should learn. 1t is
that the bosses are much concerned over
the threat of the union to select only one
of the breweres OF the combine for boy
WV. u NNCh VI 81 lLlc UulOu QSC4utu
TO work on this plan and select the brew
cry having large patronage by the labor
ing people.
The purpose of this was that, having
had the promise of support from all the
labor unions in the City. boycott OF this
order would be more effectual. The union
has no fear bu. what it can furnish sub
stitute for the boycotted beverage Sew
eral outside brewers would be only too
glad TO secure good San Francisco trade.
The information that the union received
came from one of the brewers VINO had
been discussing the situation with several
others. They agreed that if the Enter
prise Brewery should. be selected as the
victim, as they had been credibly in
formed that 1t had. the association would
have hard fight on its hands.
The weakness lay in this, that this brew
ery's annual output is about So 900 barrels.
and the patrons are largely the working
people. Consequently boycott in this
direction would be very damaging to the
association.
Under the agreement among the bosses
they as a whole must make good to the in
jured member the equivalent of his loss.
When the Jackson and National Breweries
were boycotted they did not call upon the
association for the amount of their losses
for more than two or three months; so the
expense 10 the association was not heavy
during the remaining three years.
With the Enterprise it may be different
because of the largeness of the loss it
would have TO sustain in consequence of
boycott by the laboring classes.
The mem bers who discussed this prop
osition feared that the Enterprise people
would demand all due them under the
agreement and the assessment upon the
other brewers would be very heavy. 1t
was estimated that even the smallest
brewers in the combine would have to put
up at least $50 month and the larger ones
in proportion.
At the present price OF beer and the
local brewers com petition with the large
quantities that are shipped into San Fran
cisco from the East and the surrounding
towns the brewers fear that some OF their
number will "kick, anu kick" means
disruption, for it is not expected that the
boycotted brewery will hold out long with
out financial support from the association.
All that is necessary for a general smash
up IS one brewery to drop out of the COM
bine and go over to the union cause.
While ali of the brewers and maltsters
in the body agreed to pay fixed prices TO
their present employees there is strong
reasons TO believe that they are not keep
ing their agreement. 1t is a very easy
thing for BOSS to say that he is paying
SIS week for certain work when as
a fact he is only paving 50 and $40. The
workmen are AFRAID to tell the truth as 10
what they receive, for fear that they will
be DISCHARGED, and they can easily say
that they receive full pay.
When the committeeman were asked
the question direct whether the Enter
prise Brewery had been selected for the
boycott. while they would not acknowl-
edge such was the case none would deny
the rumor.
Il is generally conceded by the union
the bosses are fair with the exception