The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-25
.EXCAVATOR MEN STRIKE
EFFECT OF ONE LEGISLATIVE
REDUCTION.
Appropriation for the Men is Reduced
And All Quit Work Rather Than
Accept Less Pay.

The odorless excavator men all went
on strike this morning on account of a
cut in their wages made necessary by
reductions in lne new appropriations as
compared with the old. They went in a
body to the park in front of the Capitol
Buildings and crowded the Algaroba
Legislature out of the seats beneath the
shade where the third House" has
been wont to sit.
The strikers were notified yesterday
by Captain Sam Johnson, who runs the
eXcavator business, that the reduction
in the amount at his disposal would
necessitate cuts in salaries, or laying
some men off, for the rest of the month.
He was allowed $4,000 per month for his
payroll under the old law, while the
new law makes if $2660. Yesterday
Johnson had a talk with his men and
explained the situation. They agreed
to accept a cut of $3.50 each for the
month of July, but this morning they
showed up in different mood.
Forty men went on strike leaving idle
all of the ten excavator wagons and the
eight rubbish carts. Soon telephone
messages began to come into Johnson S
office, from people who wanted cess
pools cleaned out. The business began
to liven up after while and before
long the telephone wires We're hot with
kicks. In the meantime the strikers
I
on the seats that had been honored with
the weight of lawmakers and lying on
the grass, while a few of the leaders
grated about their rights and explained
how Jim Boyd would fix them. The
excavator department is under the Sup
erintendent of Public Works now, in
istead of the Board of Health.
Yesterday the men were told that if
they did not accpet the cut several of
/ their number would have to be laid off.
They decided to stand the small re-
duction all round and all hold their
jobs.
Captain johnson said this morning
that yesterday the men appeared to un-
derstand the situation and to be salts
fed, but the kickers got in their work
during the night. "I told them that !
would cut myself So the former S. and
the rest $3.50" said Johnson. THE de-
ficit had to be made up somehow, and
couldn't get the money from the Au-
ditor
Next month we shall reduce the
force and thus keep within the appro-
priation."
/ The excavator men who went on
strike are nearly all natives. They have
been receiving $40 per month sub-lu-
mas $50 and the foreman $65 per month.
| This is raise from the old figures that
were In effect when Johnson took
charge. The latter stated that he would
have no trouble in getting plenty of
men. When the workmen this morning
made their kick he offered to take most
of them back at the old rate laying off
only enough to make the cash come out
even. The men said they would all go
back. at full pay, or all quit and John
son fired them all out of his office. 1t
was then that they went to the COM
Portable seats of the third house" to
await the arrival of Boyd and make
an appeal to him.
superintendent Boyd told a committee
! sent to see him that he could not pro-
vide money where there was none and
that they would have to make the best
) of it. The result was another con-
ference, and the men came back to
say they would not work. On the way
they met a Home Rule legislator and
one of them called out to him to go and
work on an excavator at the wages he
had helped to establish.
+ I'VE shall have to put new men on"
| said Boyd. There are plainly of men
who are natives and citizens who want
to work at the wages offered"
Captain johnson finally put an end to
the strike at noon by officially discharg-
ing all the old hands and is engaged
this afternoon in making out a new pay
roll that VIII come within the appro-
priation. There are plenty of applica-
tions for the positions and there will
be no further hitch in the service.
Besides the trouble with the eXcava-
tor service the department has been
kept busy making explanations to the
numerous complaints anent the nom
removal of rubbish. One of the garbage
wagons broke down early his morning
and there was a temporary hiatus in
the garbage removal during repairs.