The Washington times., 1901-09-04
The San Frnncisco Strike.

| While public attention in the East
has been centred upon the great steel
| strike. another strike of even greater
relative Importance has for many
weeks practically tied up and paralyzed
| the business of San Francisco. In the
| latest issue of "Bradstreets" appears a
| comprehensive report of the cause of
the strike, its progress, and its present
| status.
The trouble arose in this way: There
| are in San Francisco two separate con-
| Germs engaged in the draying business,
one employing none but union team
sters while the other employed eXclu-
sively non union men The non-union
firm became the official league bag
gage man" of the Epworth League Con-
vention recently held in that city Hav-
ing more baggage than it could handle
| it applied to the union concern for
| help. The union drivers at once re-
| fused to work with the non-union men
of the other company. They were all
| discharged. Other companies employ
| ing union drivers then attempted TO aid
| the non-union company, and their men
| also refused to work. The trouble was
taken up by the teamsters' union, and
| a general strike was ordered. Then the
porters' and packers unions struck. A
! little later the City Front Federation,
which is a consolidation of longshore-
mems, sailors. stevedores, and marine
firemen's unions, was called upon by
the teamsters' union to assist in the
strike. This was done, and business
upon the water front of the city was
practically at an end, with the result
that about one hundred and seventy
five vessels plying upon the bay and the
deep water outside have been tied up
and rendered almost useless. All over
the city the strike has extended until
almost every union man has Joined 1t.
on the other hand the wholesalers and
jobbers of the city have organized the
employers Association" Non union
men are being gathered together and
set at work, and the Employers Asso-
citation claims that in a short time the
places of the strikers will all be filled
by non-union men. and business again
be in full swing. Thus the matters now
stands.
Many interesting points are brought
out by the "Bradstreet' account
Among other things it is stated that the
wage earners of San Francisco are bet
ter paid than any others in the United
States. the draymen receiving from
eighteen to twentyfour dollars a week
in a climate that is peculiarly mild and
pleasant TO work in the whole year
around. There is no question of either
pay or hours. The strike, in the first
instance. was by union men to force a
certain firm to stop employing non
union labor. and all the subsequent
strikes have been purely in sympathy
with this movement
"Bradstreet's" expresses no opinion
as to the right or wrong of the strike.
but it states that in the opinion of The
conservative element of San Francisco's
population, the strike is ill-advised, ana
that it will be disastrous to the cause
OF unionism on the Pacific Coast The
employers are said To be bitter the
shipowners especially so, because many
of their men struck in violation of un-
expired agreements, and with no griev-
ance whatever. They assert that it is
useless to enter into further agreements
with unions that will not abide by their
contracts, and from which no redress
can be obtained. al in all. the situa-
ton appears To be an ugly one. neither
side showing any disposition to yield.
Meanwh lille the fruit crop from the in
terror is rotting upon the wharves,
grain cannot be moved, and unless the
situation speedily improves the loss TO
the community will be incalculable