The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-14

officers to look after their business In
Lyons and In many other cities, the
munlcipality provides building called
la bourse du travail or labor exchange,
I'm which .he workinRmen hold their
more important meetings. Il comprises
one large hall and a number Of small
rooms, i'm which meetings are held
nightly, often seven and eight at a
time.
As the different trades that cooper
ate in building are about the same the
world over, that trade in Lyons, the
second city of France, is taken by Con-
sui Covert to illustrate the system.
There is much activity in building
there. Many streets are on lines laid
four hundred years ago, and modern
convenience and health require a con-
tinual tearing down and reconstruction
This is everywhere in progress since
electric tramways relieved the con-
gested quarters of the old city.
The employers syndicate of Lyons
comprises 625 members. It's object, as
stated in it's last report, is:
To further the interests of builders
to study and propose improvement in
buildings, to secure the employment of
the best material, to give opinions upon
questions relating to the work of build
ing; to decide, with the aid of experts.
all disputes relating to the execution
or the Interpretation of contracts; the
fixing of prices; and If deemed advis-
able, to establish yearly, with the aid
of whomsoever it may concern, list of
prices for building work; to study, de-
wise, and employ every method to ad-
vance the interests of its members.
This syndicate was organized in 1852.
Since that date, twenty-three strikes
have occurred among employees in the
building trades, all of which it has set
tied No outside parties-not even
the Government board of arbitration
lie Conseil des Prud'hommes-have ever
been permitted to interfere in the adj
justment of labor troubles in the build
ing trades. They have been settled,
with but little friction or expense, be-
tween a committee of the strikers
themselves and representatives of the
employers syndicate.
In the statement of principles of the
syndicate, it is set forth that one OBJ
ject is to enforce all agreements be-
tween employers and employees, and
that it will not recognize or support
any member who seeks TO violate a
contract once entered into with his en-
ployes.
This syndicate is often asked to in
vestigate and to report upon disputes
arising between building contractors
and men or companies for whom they
are doing work, or between furnishers
of materials, Nearly five thousand
cases have been sent to it by the courts,
with the request that it render a deci-
sion upon a point in litigation or that
it appoint a committee to investigate
and agree upon the technical details of
some question and report the same to
court of record. This compromise by
arbitration is provided for by section
1908 of the code. Although the parties
bind themselves to abide by the deci-
sion of the arbitrators, they can and
do appeal from it, From 1853 to 1899,
seven thousand three hundred and ten
cases We're tried before this syndicate,
and of that number five hundred and
forty-two were appealed to a court, on
the complaint that one of the experts
had not fairly reported the facts within
his knowledge. These cases are all set
tied in very short time and at small
expense.
1t is through this syndicate that the
price for constructing a building is fix
ed A committee named by the syndi-
cate agrees upon what will be charged,
according to cost of material and cur
rent rate of wages of carpenters, stone
cutters, masons, etc. The findings of
this committee are revised by a COM
mittee appointed by the city councilS
consisting of members of the builders
syndicate, architects, contractors, and
landlords. No builder ever charges
higher than the prices thus fixed. They
sometimes charge less.
There would be no harm in the mas
ter builders and the whole building
trade her taking a leaf out of the
French book There is lots of building
to do and any system which will pre-
vent friction and ensure harmony is
we'll worth consideration.