The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-05
THEY WANT -FOUR NEWCOMERS
DISCHARGED.
Seattle Journeymen Plumbers Refuse
To Pay EXorbitant Initiation Fee to
Local Union so Cause Strike.

Practically every jOurneyman plum /
Der in Honolulu has been on a strike !
today. The trouble arose over the re-
fusal of two master plumbers to dis
charge four journeymen plumbers from
Seattle who had refused to pay the high
initiation fee demanded by the local
plumbers union. The result was that
all but two or three members Of the
association took up the fight and left
their positions whether they We're em-
ployed by the two master plumbers IN
question or by other master plumbers.
True to their threat the journeymen
plumbers have gone on a strike. The
rooms of the association have been
crowded today with the strikers who
declare they will not recede from their
position. In the meanwhile the four
men from Seattle who refused to part
with what they consider an eXorbitant
fee are together with two or three
members of the local organization,
making their s. a day and will continue
to do 50 declared G. II. Brown who
helped bring them here.
The strike arose not over any attempt
to cut wages but the refusal of the four
malihini plumbers from the Sound to
join the local association under present
requirements. Arthur Mccoy. John
Judge, George O'Brien and William Ca
meron are the men who came here to
work for &. H. Brown and Mr.. Sellers.
the master plumbers. The four men
were members of the Seattle union. i'm
good standing and We're, they say, max
ing excellent and steady wages They
arrived on the Sonoma last week and
on Tuesday met with the executive
council of the local plumbers assOCia-
ton. The newcomers had understood
/ that the initiation fee was $25 and they
We're ready to affiliate with the local
organization. TO their surprise $50 was
demanded from them. They We're in
formed that the fee had been doubled
and ii was $50 or nothing. The new
comers refused positively to pay, any
such sum. They said that it was eXor-
bttant and while they We're not adverse
to paying the $25 fee they would not
under any circumstances meet the larg-
er amount.
They We're informed that $50 was the
fee and they could pay it in two Install
ments or else they could not get into
the union. When they refused to pay
| they We're given to understand that the
plumbers association would see to It
I that they would get no work in the
town.
The crowd did not work though for
Brown and Sellers nut them on Jobs
about the city. The association met
and decided To go ON a strike if the
obnoxious men were not discharged.
The stand was taken that they were
] not union men and until they Joined by
| paying $50 they were without the pale
of the local organizat alton. The en-
ployers of the four men were informed
! that unless the Seattle contingent was
/ discharged the other plumbers would
! go on strike this morning at Z o'clock.
/ None of them We're discharged so the
| general strike was ordered.
What the outcome will be is uncer-
tain but the probabilities are that the
plumbers will have to reduce their in-
, tiation fee or else the master plumbers
! Will send away to the Coast for new
men. 1t is asserted that the sole Dur-
pose of raising the fee to $50 was to
freeze out newcomers, but thus far
the attempt does not appear to have
met with success.
I'VE did not pay the fee demanded"
said Mccoy, for the reason that we
considered it eXorbitant. We were
ready to join the union and are still
so but $50 is an outrageous sum to de-
mand in order to let us go to work
here and we will not pay il. All of us
We're making good wages in Seattle at
S4.50 day and we did not come down
to cut wages in Honolulu. We like
the place and we want to stay and
what is more we intend to do So In
Seattle we are in good standing and
are union men,
THE strike is on" he said this morn
ing and so far as / am concerned ii
can remain for / do not propose to go
back on these men who came down
, from Seattle. They are sober indus
trious men and We're willing to join the
. local association but the fee of $50 was
they thought, too great. / never hired
any but union man in my life and
these men are union men in good stand
i, ing at Seattle, The result of this strike
is that the master plumbers will prob
| ably have to go to work. l guess we
have enough men to do the work that
is on hand now. If the journeymen
continue to remain out we will have Ia
send away and get others to fill the
places for 1 certainly propose to sup
, port these new men"
President COnnors of the association
was informed by United States Attor,
ney Baird that such action as had beer
attempted by the organization was &
clear violation of both the Territorial
and the Federal laws regarding the
! ! restraint of trade. People have a per
! feet right to go on strike and refus,
to work because of disagreement owe
the wages but they have no right L
$ enter into conspiracy and try to pre-
vent other men who may be opposed I,
I them, being employed.
The plumbers association held meet
$ ings this morning and afternoon. I
e was announced that there was n,
:. change in the situation. In case an.
e proceedings are instituted against tn,
o plumbers association II will probably b.
% done by the Territorial officials as MI
+ Baire will not interfere with the pere
e rogative of the Territorial officials I,
e prosecute.
d President Connors the spokesman 70
4 the plumbers association sought 4
= create the impression this afternoon
n that there had been no strike He ad
!. mitted that certain members of tn
Il union had quit work today or accoun
s of a disagreement with certain of thei
employers and because they did no
s desire to work with certain men. S
It far as the men from Seattle We're con
l. cerned the plumbers association ha
,r no objection to their working, asserte
g Mr.. Connors. Besides added Mr.. Cor
e nors this was a very inclement day an
1t many of the men did not work on tina
k account. Their action could not h
II said, be considered to be a strike,
l. tomorrow was not a bad day like tn
p he was sure that practically every bod