The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-01-31
POsToFF|cf CLERKS
GO OUT ON Strike
They Refuse to Finish
Distribution Of Mail
After Hours.
EMPLOYEES AlLEGE iLL-TnEATMENT
POSTMASTER DAT WOULD NOT
DISCUSS THE DIFFICULTY
LAST NIGHT.
EMPLOYEES ALLEGE ILI-TnEATMEET
Hard Work and Long Hours. Without
Pay For Overtime, Cause the
Boys TO Quit Their Labors Last
Night

You will probably be disappointed
when you 90 TO the post-office This
morning and find that the mail. which
you have been anxiously looking FOR
from the Mainland for q week ptst
is not distributed. and your disappoint-
ment will probably grow into sore-
thing more severe as the day waves
and wanes and still the long hoped
for comes not. And thereby hangs 4
tale.
Yesterday was a busy day among
the employees OF Uncle Sam The
Sonoma brought in an exceptionally
heavy mail. and the boys worked like
trOians all day trying 20 distribute
the bags of letters and papers that
had come on the Oceanic steamer,
but in vain for the completion of the
task. At six o'clock ". A. Robinson.
the postal inspector. according to the
statement of the young men concern
ed, peremptorily demanded that they
work last night until the foreign mail
was done. This they refused TO do,
claiming that they had already work
ed long enough. and that as no extra
pay was forthcoming, they could see
no reason why they should not post
pone their work until today.
Very WELL salu their superior IF
you do not choose to work tonight,
you need not come back tomorrow. ;"
Upon this Bert Webster, chief dis
tributor. Lee Austin, assistant distrib-
utor and dead letter clerk. Norman
Orme, mailing. forwarding and re-
ceiving clerk, Thomas Handbook
general delivery clerk. Bert Donnelly
clerk to the ladies window. and Will
Dodd distributor. put on their coats
and left the Office. choosing rather to
forfeit their places than work as de-
manded.
Yesterday evening. several OF the
young men called at the Republican
office and told their side of the case.
They said;i
Ever since we have been in the
post-Office. it has been one continual
round of abuse, insults and vilification
from our superiors 10 us. There has
never been a kind word for excellent
work and attention to particulars, or
extra pay for working overtime, but
if anything went wrong a mountain
was made out of a molehill, and We
have been forced, time and time again
to work after six o'clock just to graft
fy the whims of those who have had
control over us. Yesterday. we worked
all day. and Just before six. all of us
stopped few moments TO roll
cigarette apiece. ". a. Robinson came
downstairs Just then. and told us TO
come back after six and finish distrib-
uting the mail There was no partic-
ular reason for such an order, save
that he wished TO exercise his author
ity. We demurred and he told us that
if we did not wish TO wOrk. we need
not come back. You may say We Will
not return unless future developments
change the complexion of affairs. Mr..
Robinson did not say anything about
extra pay when he ordered us to re-
turn after our dinner hour The mail
Yesterday was exceptionally heavy,
and he. if for no other reason than TO
further his own interests. might nave
had a little compassion on US" Hence
il is. that YOU Will have TO wait longer
than usual for yoIr continental mail.
Postmaster ]. Mort Dat was seen
last night. but know nothing of the
strike that was on, at least in such a
way that ne could announce it official
". Il can tell you better in the morn
ing" ne said in a non-commlItal way.