The San Francisco call., 1899-09-18
SKILLED LABOR
NOW IN DEMAND
ON TRANSPORTS
Workmen Control the
Situation.
TROUBLE ON OVERTIME PAY
GENERAL STRIKE MAY COME
AT ANY TIME NOW.
Uncle Sam Has Seventeen Troopships
That He Wants to Get Away by
First Week in October
If Possible.
TROUBLE ON OVERTIME PAY
GENERAL STRIKE MAY COME
AT ANY TIME NOW.

Skilled labor is in demand on the water
front The fleet of transports now in port
has created an immense amount Of work,
and in consequence machinists, boiler
makers, carpenters and painters are
working night and day, Sundays and holi-
days. This state of affairs has raised
some very fine points in the various
unions.
Directly a steamer has the red white
and blue stripes painted on her funnel,
the men look upon her as a Government
transport, and in consequence claim eight
hours as days work. This state of af-
fairs has given rise to a number of con-
ferences between masters and men, and
the latter have invariably shown a de-
sire to be reasonable
Things have now come to a stage, how
ever, that will result in some material
changes this week, or else there will be
a general strike. The boilermakers have
| hitherto been working nine hours on ship
work and getting paid for ten hours. Now
they demand an eight-hour day with ten
hours pay. Under the old rules, for
eleven hours night work they got twenty
two hours pay, but now they insist upon
twenty-six hours pay for ne same
amount of work. AS an example of the
manner in which the new schedule will
work, one of the boilermakers received for
his last week IS work sixteen and a half
Gays pay at SO 80 day.
The machinists are asking for an eight
hour day and double time for night work
and Sunday and holiday work.
The painters have organized a union and
will ask that no man be employed on
Government transport who does not know
how to mix paint. An eight-hour day Will
also be insisted upon, and the pay is to
be raised to So a day. The carpenters will
be satisfied with an eight-hour day and
double pay for overtime.
Such the condition of affairs VeS-
terday on the Government vessels. On
the Shexidan the boilermakers will not
are complied with. The Fulton Iron
Works, which has the job, shows no signs
of yielding. On the Grant and Sherman
the boilermakers are nearly through with
the job. The demands of the machinists
working on them have been granted. On
the Centennial the men are getting what
they asked.
On the Tacoma there is considerable
work to be done to-day, and unless the
mems demands are granted there will be
a strike on her as well as on the Sheri-
dan. The Glenogle is to be fitted out, the
Valencia Zealandia, Olympia, LennoX and
Victoria are all expected here within
week and will have to be overhauled.
while the City of Peking is to be taken
from China, and will require considerable
work done on her. Skilled labor will there
fore be kept going night and DAY right
looks looks as s'i though the men men viii get what
they ask for Uncle Sam has said that
eight hours shall constitute days work,
and the men think il only fair that he
should practice what he breaches.
In the case of the painters there is like
ly to be some friction. The Government
officials may look with favor on an eight
hour day, but they will not pay any So for
it. There will be no advance in wages"
said a member of the quartermaster' de-
partment yesterday. ANY old sailor can
paint a Ship and If it comes to a show
down we will make a requisition for a
regiment of men from the Preside and
will set them to work painting the ships.
Half a dozen men can mix enough paint
to keep a regiment going, and we'll see
that they do it,
Everything was quiet on the transport
wharf yesterday, but it remains to be
seen what the next twentyfour hours will
bring forth.