The San Francisco call., 1896-03-20
MASTER PAINTERS ACTIVE.
Nine Committees Engaged In Se-
curing Members for the
Association.

The members of the Master Painters
Association are neglecting nothing that
can strengthen their position in the con-
test with the journeymen, and strenuous
efforts are being made to get all the boss
painters in the City into their oreanlZa-
ton. For this purpose the City has been
divided into nine districts and committees
of two have been detailed to work with the
bosses in each district ana induce them to
join the association. These committees
have only just begun work, but they
already report results far exceeding their
fondest hopes.
'The outside bosses," said President
Black of the association yesterday, ''are
now more than willing to join US. Six
months ago they pooh-pooned the idea
that there could be any advantage to them
in joining the association, but now 1T has
began to rain and they are all struggling
to get into the ark. By the next regular
meeting of the association our organlza-
tion will number 100 members.
''In this connection there is one point
which wish you would emphasize as much
as possible. This plan of ours for strength
ening ourselves has nothing to do with our
fight against the iourneymen. We have
already all the support we need for that
purpose. Our idea in increasing our men,
bership is merely to make ourselves strong
enough to protect the material men in
case they agree to give us better prices.
Naturally if we go to them with that
proposition numbering only say twenty
five members they will have little if any
inducement to deal with US. But if we go
to them one hundred strong that is very
different matter
''You see, the painting trade in this City
has conditions which obtain in no other
business. In other lines there is certain
discount granted to the trade, but in the
painting business there is no trade dis
count at all. Therefore any property
| owner or iourneyman can go to the whole
salers and get just as good figures as can
| we who have the expense OF keeping up
business. 1t did not use to be so. Twenty
| years ago the small paintshop paid the ex-
| penses of the business with the profits
from the sale of material, but all that is
| ended.''
! Another feature which has been intro
duced into the fight by the bosses in order
to strengthen each other in their deter
mination not to give in, is the trading of
non-union men from one shop to an
other. 1t is recognized fact, of course,
| that the bosses have men in their employ
who have not struck and who will not go
! out under any circumstances; also that
certain of the shops have contracts on
|
| So in order that the bosses, whose work IS
pressing, may not be forced to yield the
/ other shops are loaning their non-union
| men and the work goes on uninterrupt-
| edly. Each morning the non union men
who are not needed that day at their own
| shop are sent to Pres ident Blacks place
| on Eddy street, whence that official dis
| tributes them among the hard-pressed
bosses of the association, and this, to
great extent of course, nulliies the pres
sure that the union has been able to bring
to bear upon individual bosses.
"Another thing which greatly aids u.s."
said President Black, 'is the fact that the
| property-owners and taxpayers-the solid
men of the community-are with US.
Without exception. men whom / have
| talked with are in sympathy with us and
urge US not to yield an inch. The prop
erty-owners realize that if the union wins
this fight it will mean to them greatly in
creased expenses in repairs
In connection with the suggestion that
the journeymen painters should take con-
tracts themselves, securing their material
| from the wholesalers on credit, several
material men when seen yesterday, seemed
more than dubious.
will / sell paint to the journeymen? ?"
repeated the senior partner of the Bass
will sell them the whole store provided
| they have the money. Credit? Well.
that's different. They would be treated
just like anybody else. should look them
up, and if they had an established credit
should probably grant it. But one thing
you can bet on-there won't any material
go out of my store on the chance of a
building lien. Not muchl 1t will stay
| here until it rots first"
! Mr.. Brown, the general manager of the
same firm and member of the Paint and
Oil Club, expressed himself indirectly as in
favor of granting the bosses request for a
| trade discount His words were: I'VE
are of course anxious to assist and protect
our customers, and there can be no doubt
! but that the Master Painters Association
is one of our largest customers"
| 1t was currently reported that twenty
| five men who had been called out of the
ST. Denis shop were ready to go to work
again. They approached st. Denis in a
body yesterday morning and agreed to
/ stand by him till the end OF the strike.
They were not, however, put to work yes
terday.