The San Francisco call., 1896-03-25
WILL RETURN TO WORK.
Str king Union Painters Permitted
to Return to Bosses Who Ac-
Cede to All Demands.

The most important meeting of the
Painters Union since the strike began
was held yesterday at lis Turk street The
union decided to let the men go back to
work for the boss painters who are favora-
bic to the union and who have and will
accede to all demands. This matter for the
past two days has caused much discussion
In the meetings of the union.
It was brought up by the cooperation
committee of twenty-five appointed to as
sist the executive board in conducting and
arranging the plans of the strike. Chair
man Ames read the report which recon-
mended that the union men be permitted
to return to all flair" or union shops
That is, shops where the bosses have and
will declare themselves favorable to the
union, pay $3 day for eight hours work
and recognize the working-card.
The master painters to whom the men
return to work must not take contract
sublet by the master painters who are fight
ing the union. :,
fh. committee further recommended
that the men who return to work under
these conditions contribute part of their
days' wages to the union to be dsed for the
maintenance and support OF the strikers
who are unable to secure work and are
still on strike.
This threw the question fairly upon the
meeting and it must be Acknowledged
that the leaders were uneasy as to what ac-
ton would be taken by the majority.
Upon the decision depended the life or
death of the union as well as OF the strike.
There were a number, as may be ex-
pected, who favored fighting all the bosses
to the bitter end, and their argument was
that the matter was practically in the
hands of the Building Trades Council;
that the main principle involved was
whether or not all contractors must respect
the working-card, and that by April the
fight will fall upon the shoulders OF the
entire building trades. In other words,
the painters should stand together and
conquer or die.
The arguments of those who favored
adopting the committees report were
summed up in the following remarks by
McIvor:
1t is said that we made mistake IN calling
ont the men on general strike, ana not ex-
centing those who declared themselves in our
ayor at the first. | deny that assertion. We
have made no mistake. Between the hrst ana
the second call-out many bosses professed to
be friendly To the union, they were not
They made the professions simply to be able
to finish their contracts, ana then they began
to take the contracts from our ayowed enc
mics. Moreover, they were among the nIs1 ,hoIu IN
down the gauntlet to fight US. we were
obliged 10 do something to find who were our
friends who were our aYowed enemies ana
who were irving to carry water on both
shoulders This wss determined by the last
call-out, which was the only way possible to
obtain that knowledge
The line has been drawn, and it is well de-
fined We know our enemies from our friends
and it is unwise and unjust TO cause the latter
to suffer with the former. Let us return to our
friends and help them and they will help us
The public wanting any work done will go
to those bosses who have men TO do the work
and not TO those master painters whose shops
are tied up This action does not raise the
strike, for we will still continue to fight the
Master Painters Association until the last man
. OF them gives in or dies. ! hope they will