The San Francisco call., 1910-07-26
1000 WORkMEN
LAY Down TOOLS
Union Hosting Engineers and
Hod Carriers Quit, Demand
ing Eight Hour Day
Employing Contractors Stand
Pat and Say Higher Wages
Are IntOlerable

DlHerenceS between the union nod
carriers and the hosting engineers on
the one hand and the contractors on the
other came to a climax yesterday morn
ing, with the result that 1000 members
of the two unions are idle, large num-
ber of brick layers and plasterers have
been forced to suspend work and build
ing generally throughout the city has
been seriously crippled. The point at
issue is the length of the working day
of the hod carriers and hosting en-
gineers. They have been employed on an
8 Y hour schedule. The unwillingness of
the contractors to accede to an eight
hour day has precipitated the break.
The unions term it a lockout" the
employers a strike" The scale of
wages for hod carriers has been as fol-
lows:
Men working with brick layers, 81 a
day; the mortar men, scaffold men, ETC.,
$4.50 men working with plasterers, So.
The hosting engineers have been re-
ceiving Sc day
The work of the hod carriers has con-
From 7:40 to II noon, and from 1850 to
5. 1t is the contention of the hod car
riers that under the terms of recent
agreement they should quit in the
morning at 11:40 and in the evening at
4:50. This would make an even eight
hour day.
The contractors explain that it is
necessary for the hod carriers to begin
work ahead of the brick layers and
plasterers in order that they may have
material mixed and ready by the time
the others report for duty. This the
hod carriers are willing to do. but they
insist that they should not be forced to
work beyond the eight hour period.
The contractors have united to con-
test the issue and announce that they
will not yield. The hod carriers have
the support of the building trades coun-
ell, which will stand with them through
out the controversy.
O. A. Tveitmoe, secretary of the build
ing trades council, speaking of the sit
uation, said:
II have no knowledge of a strike or
lockout. The business agents of the
building trades council and the hod car
rierS' union have reported to me that
the hod carriers and brick layers are
working. AS the representatives of the
masons and builders have stated re-
peatedly, both verbally and in writing
to the building trades council, the con-
tractors are in favor of the shorter
workday, l can not conceive how the
Inauguration of the eight hour day for,
the hod carriers can be used a pre-
text for a lockout.
The associated building contractors,
the state building trades council, as
well as the local council and the hod
carriers have tentatively agreed on a
plan which would give the hod carriers
a shorter workday without any incon-
venience to other trades of the building
industry, or monetary loss either to
journeyman, contractor, architect or
owner.
There may possibly be a few brick
contractors who believe that an eight
hour working day is good for every
body with the exception of the few hod
carriers and Iaborers which these con-
tractors employ.
The hod carriers will have the full
support of the building trades council
of San Francisco, its affiliated unions
and their membership, and the state
building trades council of California
The associated general building con-
tractors, the Masons' and Builders asso-
citation of San Francisco and the Con-
tracing Plasterers' association met yes
terday afternoon and decided to stand
pat. Each association appointed three
a committee with full power to act.
This committee met last night and gave
out the following statement:
Building operations are practi-
cally at a standstill today through
out the city as result of the de-
mand of the hod carriers and the
hosting engineers for a raise in
wages. Committees representing
the Associated General Contrac-
tors association, the Masons and
Builders association and the Con-
tracing Plasterers association met
in the room of the Builders ex-
change late this afternoon for the
purpose of considering the strike
situation, and strike committee
was organized and will meet daily
in the rooms of the builders ex-
change until the controversy is set
tied.
Employers generally are of the
opinion that no raise in the present
high scale of wages can be toler-
ated and all are prepared to resist
such demands to the fullest ex-
tent.
A statement covering in full the
employers side of the controversy
will be submitted to the public in
the near future.
Charles A. Day J. j. Connolly
J. e. Steere A. II. Bergstrom