The San Francisco call., 1906-06-02
ALL SHIPPING
MAY Be TIED UP
Seamen's Demands Tor In
creased Pay Have Been
Refused
Owners Say the Concession
Would Be Against
Public Policy.

-The sailors. firemen. cooks and walt
ers employed on eoastwise steamers
have demanded an increase in pay. the
steamship people at this time are not
disposed to make the concession ana
ali the indications point to a eomplets
and protracted tie-up OF all shipping
as far as this port is concerned
Sailors in the coastwise trade are at
present paid from s45 to sSo a MONTH
according to the ports between wnich
thew are running The higher rate 10
paid on vessels running TO what ars
known as open ports. where the Work
of loading and diseharging Is accom-
panied by more risk and Inconvenience
than at ports which enjoy sheieer.
with overtime pay the average wage OK
coastwise sailor is about 80 month
In addition to this he Is provided with
board and lodging
shortly before April Is the Coass
Seamen's Union demanded an increase
OF IS a month. The marine nremeh,
the cooks and walters also asked Tor
Increased remuneration The steam
ship Association OF san Francisco. made
t,r, of the owners of the vessels. mostly
steam schooners In the lumber trade
affected by these demands, were as
posed to grant the request Then came
the earthquake and the big nre' Wnlen
wiped out all OF the business part OF
the city but the water front
NO ADVANCE IN RATES.
For few days following the FIRE
shipping was paralyzed. On all vessels
in port the crews were kept on board
and fed and on April 25 the Steamship
Association or San Francisco passed
resolution 10 the effect that in view or
the sudden change in conditions con-
templated- advance in freight rates
should be called of. but that wages,
overtime agreements and all other con-.
ditions relating TO the crews should
be undisturOed.
The Sailors Union at the same time
passed resolution agreeing to charge
no overtime on relief work and gener-
ally expressing the unions desire to do
its share in Tightening the load OF trou-
BILE which had fallen on the, community.
Things ran along smoothly for month
Andrew Furuseth. head of the Union,
returned and a few days ago resur@
rected the ante-c -coRfiagr grafton demand
for increased pay This demand was
referred by the Steamship Association
of San Francisco TO the United Steam
ship and Transportation Association,
of which organization the steamship
association is an auxiliary. An execu-
tive committee consisting of three
members of the United Steamship and
Transportation. Association and Ave
members of the Steamship Association
lof San Francisco was appointed to con-
slider the matter. This committee met
yesterday afternoon In the Office OF
George ID. Gray & Co. and decided that
under existing conditions it would not
be right to aecede to the demands.
TO-A. E. Hammond was delegated the
task of giving public expressions of the
committees views. The committee.
said Mr.. Hammond. felt that the union
was trying to use the calamity which
had fallen on the city as lever for
compelling a yielding to their demands.
The sailors were taking advantage. he
said, OF the citys urgent need. and as
matter of public policy the committee
deemed it inadvisable to take any step
which would add one cent to the cost
of material for rebuilding the city.
They would recommend tnat the de-
mand for increased pay be denied.
VESSELS LAID UP.
The crews of about half a dozen
steam schooners have been paid OF and
the vessels laid up pending a settlement
OF the dispute. Unless an agreement is
reached it Is likely that not only some
seventy seven steam Schooners will be
laid up. but that the entire steamship
business of the port will be suspended
indefinitely.
There will be another meeting today.
I Andrew Furuseth said yesterday that
the unions at the various coast ports
fdeeided on April 1s that the increased
wage scale should go into effect May
/. Owing to the calamity to San Fran
cisco, he continued. the matter was
held in allegiance pending further ne
gotiations with the owners. Furuseth
says he pointed out to the employers
/ that as conditions ashore offered the
seamen work in wrecking and rigging
occupation it would be advisable to
offer the sailors some inducement in
order to keep the maritime business
going He would pake no statement
as to what the union would do in case
the ernDloyers refused to nav the d.