The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-14
PEACE IN SACRAMENTO.

auspices of the Petaluma Alliance.
|, PEACE IN SACRAMENTO.
Secretary Mayhem of Sacramento re-
ported conditions favorable, with all
contractors busy and workmen satisfied
and that the influence of the alliance
could be best illustrated by the fact
that during the three years prior to
April /, 1904, there had been seventy
one strikes and labor disputes, involv-
ing loss of over 100000 to the
laboring people alone, and that since
that date there had been but one
strike and that one settled perma-
nenty on a strictly open shop basis.
The merit system of wages is observed
and the hours have not been in
creased, except by some union men,
who are working without limitation
as to hours or restriction as to wages.
Law and order is strictly enforced In
the capital city and the merchants re-
port conditions favorable for banner
business year.
The secretary also reported on the
special work done at Fresno and ex-
planned the action of the master
plumbers and employing members Of
the builders. A declaration for open
shop made about February Is has
been rigidly observed and is giving
good results. The effort of a. would be
political leader who dictates the ac-
ton Of the State Building Trades
Council to inject politics into the
Fresno council resulted in the dis
banding Of the council after the cleo
ton in April Mr.. Mayhem predicted
that the conservative labor element
would predominant in the Fresno
unions and that strikes would soon be
but a memory of the past in the
raisin district.
John A Clark of Stockton announced
that all was quiet In that city, as there
had not been any serious labor disturb
ances there for many months. Fully
one-third of the business houses OF
that city are now running on a strictly
open shop" basis.
MEMBERSHIP INCREASING.
The merchants and manufacturers
realize that the maintenance Of the
Citizens Alliance Is necessary to insure
industrial peace, and cheerfully lend
their moral and financial support to the
organization, considering it a sort Of
insurance against labor disturbances
The membership is steadily increasing
and there have been no assertions from
the ranks.
All Of the laborers In unskilled lines,
as well as all skilled laborers, are busy,
most of them with steady employment
and good wages, as all of the open
shop employers pay the union wages.
or more when the employee earns it, and
maintain the same hours as formerly.
Merit. and not union affiliations, regu-
lates their compensation. Union men
are learning that there Is no premium
placed upon grating and that merit Is
what wins advancement and increase
of wages. The employers running open
shop" declare that the men are more
cheerful at their work and accomplish
far more than when their output was
limited by union rules and they them
selves were annoyed by the commands
of walking delegates.
@. E. Carl Of Oakland reported the
alliance there to be in q f1ourishing
condition There has been no labor
trouble in Oakland for the past six
months and the city is rapidly pro-
crossing toward the open shop" All
Of the livery stables are non-union.
The meat markets are non-union. The
Transfers Union is about on it's last
legs All the principal restaurants are
open shop" and there are 23o open
shop" contractors in the building lines,
Including master plasterers, plumbers,
painters, mill men, electricians, build
ers and lumber dealers. The member
ship Of the alliance has doubled since
the first of the year, and financially II
Is In a good sondition.