The San Francisco call., 1906-10-09
MILLS CLOSED BY
GENERAL STRIKE.
Fifteen Hundred Union Men
Quit Work and Thirty
Plants Are Shut Down
BETTER PAY WANTED

Fifteen hundred local miIImen went
thirty mills TO shut down, and redue-
ing the output of building materials
50 per cent. The cause of the strike
was the refusal of the mill owners, in
the face of n recently signed agree
ment. TO accede 10 the demand of the
men for n one-dOIIar-a-day Increase In
wages over the minimum rate in force
prior 10 September Il. At that time a
new schedule of wages was adopted at
n joint conference held between the
representatives of the Building Trades
Council, with which the AIIIlmen's
Union Is affiliated, and OF the San
Francisco Planning Mill Owners Asso-
citation.
The history Of the trouble, from the
standpoint of the mill owners is. out
lined in a communication addressed
yesterday by the association to the
Building Trades Council
The communication reads:
On September u. the joint confer
ence committee. consisting of repre-
sentatives of the B. T. Council and the
adopted a schedule of wages TO be-
come operative in the mills of the as
sociation on the lst inst. This schedule
was approved by your honorable body
authorized action OF the joint confer
ence committee. Shortly after this
action was taken IT was rumored that
the members of the MfIlmen's Union
were not satisfied with the schedule as
adopted, and would not accept same.
This matter was communicated to
committee from this association met
with committees from the various
unions and from the District Council in
your office and discussed the situation.
fat advance of Sl.00 over the minimum
effective prior 10 September IL. and the
members OF this association, in
answering said demand, stated that
they desired peace and prosperity in
the building business, and that while
they considered the minimum as agreed
on In the conference of September u
10 be amply high, they were willing to
submit the matter TO arbitration, as
they were aware that the constitutions
OF both the Building Tradss Council
and the District Council provided for
arbitration when adjustment could not
be reached through the regular chan
nels. and their proposition was. that
the men continue at work, that they be
paid the schedule adopted by the joint
conference committee on September 12
that the entire question be put upto
board of arbitration, and. should the
board Of arbitration advance any rates
over said schedule they would pay said
advance from and after October s.
This morning the milImen through
their shop stewards demanded from the
members OF this association the ad-
vance of 81 over the minimum in effect
prior to September y, and. failing TO
receive same. over so per cent of the
millmen employed by the members of
this association refused to go TO work;
in other words. voluntarily went on
strike
In view Of the fact that we have
now and have for several years agree
ments with your honorable BODY COW
ering the settlement of differences be-
tween eur employees and ourselves. and
in view Of the fact that we have
faithfully observed the letter and spirit
of said agreements. and in view of the
fact that the men under your juFis-
diction have violated said agreements
we now respectfully request that you
Immediately take such action as will
adjust the present difficulty and permit
the planning mills of this city to re-
sumo operations Yours respectfully.
San Francisco Planning Mill Owners
Association-By A c. Bredfield, sec
retary.