The San Francisco call., 1899-01-28
SHIP PWR|GHTS
At OUTS WITH
SH|PBU|LDERS
Having Trouble With
Hay g. Wright.
ALL A QUESTION OF WAGES
CAN ADDRESS TO sHIPoWNERs,,
OUT ON THE SUBJECT.
Reward Of $50 Each Offered for the
Bodies of William Seabury and
E. j. Finn, the Missing
Duck Hunters.
ALL A QUESTION OF WAGES
CAN ADDRESS TO SHIPOWNERS,,
OUT ON THE SUBJECT.

The Journeymen Shipwrights' Associa-
ton and the shipbuilding firm of Hay &
Wright are at outs. The trouble has been
brewing for a long time, but the fat is
now in the fire and the shipWrights are
going to fight the firm to the bitter end
1t is all question of wages-of course.
the matter of union and non-union men
comes in, but the wage proposition is the
principal stumbling block The ship
wrights charge that Hay & Wright pose
as union shop, but pay "scab' wages.
in IAN address to ship owners" they state
that members of their own union sWore
that they got $5 a day from the firm,
when for over a year, their pay was only
So and 81 a day. And" says the ship
wrights in their address, "all the time
that this state of affairs existed the ship
wright firm of Hay & Wright was run
under false pretenses as a union yard run
under union principles, by union men at
union wages"
After citing a number of instances bear
ing on the firms methods of dealing with
the men, the shipwrightS close their "ad-
dress to snip owners as follows:
Now, gentlemen, the Shipwrghts' Association
of San Francisco is one of the oldest landmarks
on the city front. 1t has been in existence for
over forty years, and with two exceptions
every boss shipwright in San Francisco and
very many on the coast graduated from its
ranks, including Messrs. Hay and Wright who
were among its most steadfast and stanchest
members for years and the greatest advocates
of its principles, rules and wages. Mr. Wright
was member for close to thirty years. and
during all that time he never missed an oppor-
tunity OF advocating the maintenance of the
highest standard of wages. When our associa-
tion adopted a standard 1t thought was fair
and honest-and that standard is maintained
to the present day-Mr. Wright was not sat
isfied. He took advantage of every opportunity
offered and demanded more pay, more than the
established rules that association called
for and got more pay in many cases.
A few weeks ago the few shipwrights that
that they were disgusted with the way he
was destroying their trade, and If he did not
change his methods they would come back into
the union. Mr.. Wright told the men that he had
been working with almost all his life-the men
to whom he had been holding up the great ad-
Vantages OF the association, It's rules and its
wages-the men whose trade he Is now seeking
to destroy, depriving, them of their only means
of making living-he told those men that II
they went back into the association he wouid
go deeper into the valley and get more tramps
TT. The members of our association well
known to the ship owners of San Francisco as
q sober, Industrious, hard-worl1ing class of
first-class mechanics and respectable citizens,
and associates of captains and owners of ves-
sells and have been for years, and quite a
when the work at our trade was good and
they were able to save some money without
the slightest hesitation. bought interests in the
vessels or the ship owners of San Francisco
and are associated with them in business at
the present time; but of late years the work
at our trade has been very dull, and large
majority of our members would consider them
selves very fortunate If they could make half
time all the year around: and when consider
Ing that they are compelled to have at all
times about $500 worth of tools. which we are
constantly losing, breaking and we are sorry
to say in many cases they stolen from us
when you come to consider those things you
will readily see that 1t requires the greatest
economy on the part of our members to be able
to support their families.
With this address the shpwrights are
going to every ship owner in San Fran
cisco to try to persuade them to give their
work to any other firm but Hay &
Wright.
shipbuilding firm, is not bothering his
head very much about the address. 1.-The
shipwrightS think they know, as much
about our business as we do ourselves" !"
said he. In fact they think they could
run the yard and marine ways better
than we can. Now, l think we know our
own business best and we are running 1t
to suit our interests and the interests of
our patrons. That is all there is TO the
matter
Morton's Special Delivery men had a
clash with the customs authorities yes
terday morning. At one time the Pacific
right by an arrangement with the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company to handle bag
gage on the Broadway wharves. This
arrangement was knocked out by the
come at pleasure The Pacific men held
on to one privilege, however. They were
allowed to follow their calling in the
spectors to examine baggage. Yesterday
when the Umatilla arrived from Puget
Sound, Morton ordered his men inside of
the roped space. They We're ordered out
said No; they stay there unless the Pa
cifc Transfer men come out also. The
Surveyor of the Port told me there was
fellows to remain my men will stay right
with them." There was q wordy- warfare