The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-13
PLANT Of THE IRONERS
THE LAUNDRYMAN GIVES HIS
VERSION.
Tells What He is Striking for and
Some of the Rules of the Managers
Trust.

The Chinese ironers, the men who ac-
tually do the work in the Chinese laun-
dries have a story to tell of their side
of the strike, and they tell it in two
vigorous communications published
herewith. 1t would seem as though the
managers association spoken of in
these communications is a managers
trust, and might properly receive the
attention of the United States District
Attorney.
The following is the ironers' commun-
ication:
Things have come to such a pass in
regard to the laundrymen's strike that
an explanation should be made in order
to clear away any wrong impression
that may be entertained by the publlc.
Up to the annexation of these islands
to the United States, the ironers Tin
whose interest this article is written)
used to work from Z a. m. to IL y. m.
daily. The price of washing in those
days was normal, being one dollar per
week. After these islands had become
American territory, owing to the influx
of foreigners from the mainland, busi-
ness increased on a large scale. The
bosses were alive to the situation, and
looked about for preteIt whereby 4hey
could raise the price for washing.
A few months ago they made rule
that each laundry, which employed
from seven to nine men, should employ
only five. One result aimed at was to
raise the price of washing, and another
was to put those who are out of en-
ployment in such a position that they
could dictate terms to them, since the
bosses were informed that the ironers
demanded shorter hours, from a. m.
to o. m. After a great deal of argu-
ment it was finally decided that the
ironers should work from Z a. m. to 10
p. IN. But the BOSSES thinking that
they were not getting as much out of
the men as formerly, doubled the price
of former charges for washing.
Another rule instituted by the bosses
was to the effect that washing with the
mark of one laundry cannot be washed
by another laundry The penalty for
the violation of this rule was fixed at
one hundred dollars. This was secured
by notes signed by the various bosses.
On account of the high handedness of
the BOSSES the ironers formed society
a few months ago known as Wah Hing
Tong for the purpose OF mutual pro-
lection. When the price had been rails
ed by the BOSSES the ironers, consider
ing that the public was being imposed
upon for the benefit of the bosses alone,
determined to start out for themselves
and not ! under the dictation OF the
bosses; they can then have their work.
ing hours to suit themselves and yet
not overcharge the public. For the long
hours they have been laboring in the
past were telling upon them, and they
determined that they should not be
physical wrecks before their allotted
time. So the ironers started new
laundry Independent of their bosses.
This caused the bosses to instigate the
washers to form an association. Under
the dictaton of the bosses, the washers
stopped work on Monday last and when
the ironers took their washing to Iwi-
af 70 nrlY
suddenly set upon by the washers who
were instigated by the bosses to stop
the ironers from competing with them
by use of physical force. The events
that follow have appeared in the va
rious local papers and are so generally
known that they need not be repeated
here.
Because a few men, who had been
working with laundry on Liliha street
had quit work of their own account the
ironers have been accused for insti-
eating them to leave their work, and
thus about a score of ironers have been
arrested at the instance of the bosses.
The Alpha and Omega of the whole
trouble-the so-called laundrymen' S
strike-is, the bosses want to coerce the
ironers to submission to their dlcta-
tion.
THE IRONERS.
The following is a signed communica- =
llon from the fourteen men cnarBeu py
the manager of the firm of Kan Sing,
in a petition addressed to Judge Gear
of conspiracy to injure his business.
"We the undersigned ironers of the
laundries of En- Lee and Yuen Hop
honestly appeal to the public, declaring
that we are exceedingly unfairly treat
ed by the managers of the association
of the Honolulu Chinese Laundries. The
laundrymen are divided into three
classes, respectively, managers, wash
ers and ironers. Several weeks ago the
ironers by holding a meeting with the
managers, succeeded in increasing their
regular wages. The increase was con-
sented to by the whole association and
was one dollar a week added to each
mans weekly wages
a