The San Francisco call., 1910-11-20
MAYOR EXPLAINS
LABOR DECISION
Full Text of McCarthy's Opinion
as Seventh Arbiter for
UphOIsterers
AIIudes to Wage Schedule and
Question of Saturday
Half Holidays


ers and members. Of the upholsterers'
union. recently rendered a decision
that was accepted by all parties in
1erested. Reasons for the decision are
given in fun in the following:
November IS. 1910.
To the officers and Members Of the
Furniture and Carpet Trades Assocl.
alton and the officers and Members OF
T-nhOlsterers' Union, Local 26-Gen-
flemen: Agreeable TO your action IN ap-
pointing the undersi gned as arbitrator
in connection with the controversy
maintaining between the furniture ana
carpet trades association and the uphoi-
sterers' union. local IS, beg to present
The following as my findings IN the
From the briefs submitted on both
sides = s Wel the points orally made
in my presence and In the presence or
q the Joint committee OF your assoCl-
"a tions il has been made clear TO the
undersigned al least that whatever
NAV be thought Of the actual wage
schedule requested by the uphoistereIs
4 union. local 2S. the prime reason Tor
The members of the furniture ana car
pet trades association not acquiesctng
sSn that request must have been due 10
the manner in which the membership.
or at least a reasonable percentage of
The membership, of the upAoisterefs
union. local 2S. acted toward the output
of the factories wherein they were en-
~ployed.
REDUCING OUTPUT UNJUST
ANY restriction regarding the output
can not be too severely dealt with. NO
matter what may be assigned as the
reason for restricting the output OF IN!
factory. the crime against union lapor
and the union movement, and the prln-
Ciples for which the union and jndns-
trial movement stands. have, IN the
premises been so severely dealt with
that every loyal trades unionist must
1urn against the policy of restricting
the output with all the energy, grit
2 nd determination OF his SOUL A MIMI
mum wage being set, below which no
employer or emplOye may go, and above
which the employer and empioye COZ
lectiVelV may rise as high as appears
fair and honest from the standpoint Of the
ability of the empoye 10 satisfy the desire of
the employer is al that can be looked forward
70 within the boundary lines Of honesty equity
and fair play. The holding down or the keeping
back NJ an expert workman 10 the posSihie ont
put n the minimum rated mechaDic or workman n
IS an injustice 10 the workman, sn injustice 10
tho employer. injustice 10 the Industry Seler-
sIfv ana above and beyond all. most severe
blow 10 the cause of trades uniOnism. What one
workman NAV do with great deal of esse aud
comfort another workman may hnd ~ @ ysIt
q ffcult task 10 remotely approach. This
condition Of things IS TO be found in every walk
~ life found IN the ranks Of the professional.
business and working man alike Hence, me
union movement no more than the bar associa-
finn the merchants association. the medlcai
societies or other kindred Institutions. has no
legal moral right 10 IN any way cnrb the
ability Of the member or members OK the Sald
union regarding tho discharge OF the duties OF
their offices in connection with their employ er
and in accordance with their ability 70 proceed
with their particular lire Of work above and
beyond their minimum rated brothe-
CURTAILSIENT A FACTOR
7-5e rresenoe ot this condition of things has
been made quite clear in the business with which
Eoar associations are connected. and lttlS from
that standpoint the fears Of the empleyers have
arisen. From the figures presented bE the rep
resentatires Of the Furniture and Carpet Trades
association ii has been made clear 10 the under
signed that the wage requested oy the members
of the uph0lstercrs union, local No y. mas al no
time been an unsurmOuntsble barrier 10 them.
Rather has 81 been due 10 their fears of the
curtailment OF the output which, In their opinion
iaecame 8 settled fact.
7. therefore. do here and now order any and
aH restrictions Of output in whatever manner
or through whatever channels such as may have
obtained in the past absolutely removed. and
The employer and employe. indicating desire and
an ability 10 60 above and beyond the minimum
hereinafter set. allowed free rein 50 10 DO Fur-
1hermore il il duty which every union man
owes 10 his local union the national Win whtch
his local union Is affiliated. sna me great taDor
movement represented by and through the Amer
ican federation Of labor, 70 use every ehort
within the radius of his power IN the increase
and nromoiion Of the output of whatever depart
ment ~ lshor he may be engaged IN. Among
ine important principles upon which labor union
rests is reduction Of the hours Of labor in ac-
coriance with the improved methods employed
in the turning ont or completion OF said work;
The bringing 20 the laborer fsir. just ano eqult-
ahe remuneration for his labor. the giving 10 the
empioyer value for the compensation received
and the dissemination ~ that thought in as gen
eral = manner IL is poSsible for him 10 do
With this understanding regarding this partic-
ulsr controversy. and the reasons which caused
the same. I am satisfied ihat both the member
shin Of the Furniture and carpet Trades ssSocis-
fion and the membership Of the uphoisterers
union. D0csl No. 2S, will find themselves happy
in the thought that I have bern able. from a
careful study of the entire situation as pre-
sented 10 me by both parties concerned. To reach
tho conclusion THAT the uphoisterers 10 be en-
plored arc to receive a minimum wage Of 81 %
per dav and the mattress makers n be employed
are 10 receive minimum wage Of 81 per day.
HALF HOLIDAY
Regarding the half holiday in wholesale
irnnse and factorr 81 Is agreed that since the
,,,er,l,ers of the lnion wish The same on their
own time. receiving no compensation from the
employer during the saturday afternoon ana
10 given without any loss 10 the ssid employer
The position occupied by the retailers and their
employees with whom they associated is en-
tirelE different. however II msy he remem-
fered that tho SATURDAY afternoon. called
holiday was instituted not for the purpose of
idiinc awar the aime of the wagr Garner not
Tor the purpose of spending in drunken fash
Son the earnings of tho week and thereby de-
r-fvfnc his family ~ The same: not for the
5,,fr,ose ~ IN en- manner Whatever other than
inst of good citizenship l. O.. deyofing the
Saturday afternoon 70 his home and tie wants
81 his family generally and the giving 20 those
who must * necessity do their own purchasing
time within which 10 purchase without compell
ING those who wait upon them. namely the
clerks and Others I'm the various stores. 10 work
nights in order that srlch purchasing may be
done. Hence N goes without saving that the
IS tnrdsy afternoon has never been sought after
for the purpose Of idling sway the time Of the
wage Garner. II is slsO true thnt the half day
80 Saturday was never Intended TO throw out
~ employment until proper arrangements were
made through the dealing Of the various depart
uaeu-s of lsbor wherein men aud women are
employed were arranged that others he not
unnecessarily and unreasonshly thrown out Of
employment due 10 the fact that the employees
in department ceased operations Satur-
day afternoon. This is 10 very great extent
the condition obtaining in the retail stores IN
This city. and a result am forced much
IS I would like N see the half dav on Satur-
day maintained generality for the present nj
least 10 recommend that employer and employe
and tc general public. bend every effort 10 the
bringing about Of = condition that viii permit
without the inconFeui fencing of the people gen
orally the Saturday afternoon in these depart
mcnts. I satisfied that. for the present at
least if would hn 3 grave error of Judgment to
exfagish the request: hence my decision In the
premises IS that Tor the wholesaler or factory
the half day Saturday ma intain. For tho
r6fniler-af least for the present-NO.
As 20 the question Of piecnwork and shop
conditions these are matters. Judging from the
oral arguments presented, with which I have
nothing 20 do.
therefore conclude by wishing all parties
concerned peace. happiness and prosperity
Yours very sincerely,
p. H. MCCARTHY.