The San Francisco call., 1903-12-06
MAYOR MAY ARBITRATE.

MAYOR MAY ARBITRATE.
Mayor SchmitZ viii undoubtedly act
as arbitrator OF the strike. He has
not been asked 10 intervene, but II is
almost a certainty that the city's chief
executive VIII take hand in the dis
pute il order that the residents Of this
city may not suffer.
Both sides have held meetings and
Aare determined TO fight each other to a
s1nish- The Walters Alliance has been
preparing for the strike for the last
six months and now that it has come
is ready 70 put up a hard battle. The
executive committee Of the unions is
10th 10 make any statement in the
matter. A committee called upon N.
johnson. chairman Of the executive
committee Of the Restaurant Keepers
Association. yesterday for the purpose
Of arranging a meeting with the pro-
prietors. The committee was informed
by Mr.. johnson that such a meeting
was impossible but that any communi-
cation they might prepare would be
given Immediate attention by the asso-
ciation.
Mr.. Johnson yesterday gave out the
following statement for the press rela-
tive to the present trouble:
- year ago the Restaurant Keepers
Association entered into an agreement
with Cooks Uhion No. A and Walters
Alliance No. 80. which specified hours.
wages and general conditions, including
the recognition of the unions. At the
same time and in the presence Of the
Mayor, who signed the written agree
ment as a witness, there was also a
tacit understanding. since admitted,
that there should be a board of arbitra-
tion. and this board was provided for
in the written agreement and was to be
composed of four men from each side,
and the Mayor was TO cast the deciding
vote in case Of a deadlock.
TACIT AGREEMENT.
The tacit agreement provided that
at no time should the association en-
ter into any agreement with any en-
ploye or set Of employees giving differ
ent agreements from our agreement
with them. During the month of
August an agreement was entered into
by the unions with the Louvre, Zin-
kand's, Odeon, Little Louvre and
Techau's wherein there was a stipula-
ton for the recognition Of the unions.
When we were informed Of that fact
we contended that our agreement
should be amended 10 meet these condi-
tions. there being no question Of chang
ing hours and wages. About the same
time q complaint was filed by the un-
ions against Mr.. Wolfe, who conducts
cafe in the Claus Spreckels building,
because he employed a chief cook who
was a non-union man. Once before a
similar complaint was filed, and which
was acted on to the satisfaction of the
unions. as in a good many instances.
When the last complaint against
Mr.. Wolfe was fled the Restaurant
Keepers Association contended that he
should not be compelled TO discharge
his non-union cook. inasmuch as the
unions had entered into an agreement
with the Louvres and grottos giving
them open shop conditions. The en-
tire matter came up before the Mayor
on September 80 last, and the Mayor
took IL under advisement and has since
failed TO render a decision.
About one week ago the Cooks
Union No a, the Walters Alliance No.
90 and the Cooks Helpers Union
mailed q blank copy Of new agree
ment to the individual members Of the
Restaurant Keepers Association Last
Thursday a committee from the differ
ent unions called on Owens & Starr, J.
Jacobson and several others and re-
ouested them to sign the agreement.
These gentlemen said they were men,
bers Of the association and referred the
committee 70 IL.
CALL WATERS OUT.
Failing 70 get the agreement signed,
they called out the crews Of Owens g.
Starr's two restaurants. Owens & Starr
} then signed the agreement under pro-
test and the men went back TO work.
The committee Immediately after
ward called out the crew Of Jacobson's Is