The San Francisco call., 1896-02-21
The Building Council Arraved
Against the Sweatshop
System.
ALL AGAINST CHILD LABOR
LatherS Will Demand an Increase of
Wages on March Painters
Rejoicing.

The new Building Trades Council held a
long session last evening and. the matter of
child labor was discussed. The subject
was introduced by II. NJ. Saunders OF the
carpenters, who SAID that his attention
had been called by several people to the
fact that certain manufacturers of mems s
clothing on Market street were employing
very young children, who should be at
school. The wages paid TO these young
sters are extremely small, and the little
operatives are kept busy such hours as
would tax the system of full-grown people.
He added:
Now, this is all wrong. 1t is an injury to the
little ones and an injustice to adults who are
in need of work. Every child laborer keeps
one grown man or woman out OF employment, [,
thus depriVing the latter of the means OF max
ing living for their families. More than that,
the women who are employed in these places
to which I refer are not treated properly. For
example: to-day was told that every woman
who goes there TO work has to serve one month
for a dollar, after which she works for wages
that are next to starvation rates.
These places are "sweatshops" in every sense
of the term and should be abolished. We have
q child-labor law in this State, but it is SO full
of loopholes that ii is OF no value.
This afternoon man told one OF another
place where children are employed. He said
that in a certain furniture factory in the Mis-
sion very young boys are employed, many of
them handling machinery. These boys have
taken the places of men who were thrown out
of work. have not investigated this case, but
probably will. 1t is time to call halt on this
line of business, and the labor unions should
place themselves on record in this matter.
Delegate Rose favored suggestion that
had been made that the matter be referred
to the unions of the council, with a view
of having them unite in a demand that
Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald make an
investigation into the child-Iabor and
"sweatshop" systems. The purpose of
this IS to cause popular uprising against
those who violate the State law and the
laws of nature by working the little ones.
This will result in a withdrawal OF public
patronage from these persons.
ce-PreSldent MclVor said that much
could be effected by bringing the matter
before the convention of labor unions at
its next meeting, and this will be done.
The committee on bylaws and constitu-
ton presented the result of its labors-
the draft of the bylaws and constitution
OF the new federation. 1t is composed of
the best portions of the laws that govern
similar bodies in the United States.
Copies will be sent to the several unions of
the federation.
The Lathers' Union perfected its perma-
nent organization last evening. 1t is now
comprised OF the bosses as well as the
lourneymen. The list of officers of the
new union was completed last night as
follows: President, P. Kerrigan; vice pres
ldent, L. de Nillers; secretary, NJ. b. Rus
sell; f. Moulton, sergeant-at-arms, E. b.
| Tripp; executive committee-Messrs. Riv-
ers, de Villers, Nichols, Zeigler, Potter,
Dowllng, Moulton, Starr, Patee and Donni-
gan.
The Lathers' Union will send three dele
gates to the Building Trades Council at
= h.a, o--+ o,,f
the way of advancing the interests of the
lathers was started at last nights meeting,
namely, the advance in their wages. Sec
retary Russell was Instructed to notify the
boss plasterers that on and after March l
the fathers will demand 81 a thousand for
lathing. Now they get from 30 cents up.
Also, that on all iron and wire lathing the
price shall be cents yard. In taking
this action the new union knows that it
will be supported by all of the building
trades unions. The condition of trade
cuts no figure in the matter, because there
has been no improvement in this line of
work, and there is no indication of i'm
mediate improvement for some time TO
come.
There is every prospect that the differ
ences between the Painters and Decora-
tors Union and the boss painters will be
settled TO the sa tisfaction of both. A COM
mittee from the former met committee
from the Master Painters of California and
held a long consultation. The journey
men demanded a betterment of their con-
dition, So day for painters and 81 for dec
orators. eight hours to constitute a days
labor, recognition of the Building Trades
Councils working-card system and the use
Of better material on all jobs.
The representatives of the boss painters
said that they would be only too well
pleased to agree TO these conditions, pro-
vided the journeymen would throw their
individual and organized support to compel
all the bosses to fall into line. 1t was stated
that number of the bosses were using
unfair means in business matters, such as
employing unskilled workmen and inferior
materials. The union men prom ised to
help crush out such practices and all
agreed to insist upon complete organi-
zation of all the master painters into an
association. If this can be accomplished
both parties can adjust their differences
much easier and each will know what to
expect of the other. The conference was
very satisfactory to all present.