New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
LABOR IN FRISCO.
Some Fractions Complained of bg
f'I'ke ArgOHaUt.


We have been permitted to study in sesan ~.
project OF great constructive enterprise urw
under way in San Francisco. and have found ~.
the increase in labor charge TecEoned IN come,
tou with other elements Of cost In one vsrv 1ar~.
building project is only fraction above 10 ~,
cent as compared with the New York charge -
the same service; that il is about % per cs~.
above local rates prior 70 the disaster and ths-
not only is II relatively greater. but On tba
other hand propOTtiOnately less than the yates -
increase in the price OF building materials Tbo
augmented labor rate enters, Of course into ths
calculations CT the material supplsrs aud is thers
fore. 20 en extent disguised factor. but reckoning
the item OF wages TO he paid out upon a szNaOel
project. the figures CT local advance as abova
stated aggregate only about 20 per cent OF
course. there has been larger ratio OF increase h
the wages OF certain particular trades The gen
eral statement therefore must be taken 20 e0v.~
the averages of all trades reckoued tossthar
Tire ArsOnaut" is glad TO make this Statement
because 1t has so-ns rather plain things u sav
about the attitude Of labor in the present slfua
ton. and before entering upon the discussion h
wants 20 set forth the wage situation precisely as
il has found Il under critical examination.
The point at which labor is blaneworthy n hold
ing back the work OF reconstruction in San Fran
cisco and in unreasonaSIy augmenting its cost IA
not so much in the increased wage rate as N reg
uations and exactIons OF other kinds Labor h
discrediting itself by narTOwness. seldshnsss
su-iy attitude toward employers disposition 70
Sn8ilt us WOrk, ana Sprlt or indifference rather
than BY It's direct demand at the point of vases
For example find that under tine practice OF
UnfOnisu, carpenters decline to handle "surfacsds
lumber unless II bear stamp attesting that ths
syrfaclng has been done By union men. and unless
THIS work has been done at wage rates correspond
ing with the San Francisco rate. It has been the
practice and q sound economic practice too, to
run lumber from the directly into surfacaz
machine, practice both expeditions and eccnOHl-
col. This under the edict Of union labor IN San
ais T.
faced" lumber costs more and that there are de-
lays IN building which could be avoided under ths
Ole and sounder economic way OF doing the work
We find. too. that 1t IS not allowable 10 bring IN
cut stone since the stone nen. under dctura Of
their union. viii not handle such material This
aBa a. more cost more time ana more s. SnToy
Tor time very oppressive matter tending 10
delay constructive operations where stone work
to supply whatever is wanted. although the cost
IS gTeater than il stone were permitted 20 be dressed
wage rates are on a normal basis.
rake assin the matter OF metal sash and dooE
these materials, which in the best quality not
output but the qualify is not first class and owing
70 emergency conditions. tae cost is approximately
40 per cent above what similar or better materials
manufactured elsewhere can be Laid down here.
Again. the local product is limited in quantity
totally inadequate az every point " nen ~ haS
been suggested that the local building trades de-
where would he accepted here as fair" there has
been inso!ent denial They will accept and put in
that these materials have bsen made by Union
labor under the same conditions o. wages and
hours Of Labor as paid here but they viii not
define either the hours or the wages Thus. con-
tractor may bring from chicago a CONSIGNMENT
Of costly materials made to his order By union men
and at the rate o. wages PreyaiIinS mere Wnen tns
order was given; out n IN tle Eeal Ile ne Iocat
wage rate has been advanced the stuff thus broughs
win touch it. The result is that these who are not
satisfied with locally manufactured metal sash or
ties Of its manufacture compelled TO use wooden
Vre fra ffaT r1 md q
permanent insurance charge a heavier one. IT Is
ehargeable 10 the building trades unions that san
accordance With the standards OF modern first class
construction az reasonable cost and without IN
There is another and more general complaint
asainst labor IN connection with the immediate SIT
uatiOn IN San Francisco In ether times" said a
well known contrac.or II {aIAlhg % TO-, ne - arg
money was the boss OF the work, Now. in my sPe-
tr1vaEant wage rate but Dc NOT ger the service
that We dill When wages were less oy oae-5nird n
AID fsitbfiv instead % taking 2 dece5t pride in
fEe,r yvark rs in ~ cd davs tb-ee briekiayers
out OF five viii sIouch thgoUgh IRE day. solder cn
You before your eyes. ard answer you rldely L you
offer them a suggestion, mach more II You give
tlsem an order Z myself am bTicknlaso1 Gf the
old fashioned sort respect my trade ana | hSe
10 see It vel paid II not only injures ne hut /.
ress substituted for the old spirit Of trade prids
ard cf personal good win toward employers
e;RcIency OF rlaay brcklayers-I VIII not say al,
because that would not be fair-5 az least one
Clean down the line OF the mechanical trades
there is condition comparable 20 tndy ABOVE set
forth There seems new spirit bern of conscious
ness Of the power OF the unions which moves ~
rob many workrneu Of their bes5 qualities. There
- disposition 60 depend EUcu Tire union, with IT'S
arbitrary power. 10 find work ana to hold non -
H. rather thau uerit work BE- cheerful vigilance
and a civil actfsrde in H. There are too many
wO-k:nEnc1 who in their adhesion t. and depend
ence upon 11lOnisu have lost something OF taa-
hrer quality Of individual character when marked
the oidtiHle American workman who took ul2nts
pride IN bis work AID who put HIS Char3cte" and
hts good viii into it,
felt OF constructive industry IN san Francisco y
must be said that laboy = not carrying itself II
spe@idc pledges made Immediately after the os-
astsr.-The Argonaur.