The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-08-24
Strike at Fleetwood
Mattresses Walk Out

The dining room girls at Hotel
Fleetwood went on strike last
Thursday on account OF the unbear-
able conditions under which they
were forced to work. 1t seems that
the person in charge of the pantry
goes off duty at S p. m. and from
that time ON the pantry and refriger-
ator is left open so the Mattresses
can get the supplies to fill the orders
The Kitchen force also had access TO
the pantry. Last Thursday the
stewart accused the girls of taking
or making way with the cantolopes
and fruit, practically accused them of
stealing from the pantry. After lect-
uring them and threating to catch
the thief, he proceeded to lay down
some new rules that the white girls
didn't feel that they could abide by
and retain their self respect One
rule was that the help should only
eat plain coarse fare. Another was
when the guest called for toast never
10 use good bread but to get the stale
bread out of can kept for that pur-
pose. but the straw that broke the
rameis back come when the girls
We're instructed never to go into the
PANTRY for any thing but to go to tho
negro chef for supplies. This tho
white girls refused to do and walked
out. The manager sent them word
to come Saturday and draw their nav
nut when they went he refused to
pay them until the regular paw day.
Some time ago the Fleetwood, dis
charged their white chamber maids
ana put colored in their places and
"hea they attempted to force their
"hlte Mattresses to go to n negro
cher Tor orders it was just a little
more than the white blood could
s'ahd. The hotel was only paying
thelr dining room girls $4,000 n
m"nth and requiring them to worI,
on an average of eleven hours a day.
seven days week and thirty and
thirty one days n month. Besides
the other impositions imposed ON
thelr help the hotel made the wait
resses pay % cents for every dish
they broke. Out of the s4.65 a week
salary paid the mattresses they
would not have to break many dishes
to take 1t all. These are the condi-
lions the daughters of the wor,,in,,
class are forced to live under Ston
ana thlnk Kind reader if your daught-
ef or sister was forced ont into the
world to earn living with only s4,65
Il week to cloth themselves, paw room
rent and other incidental expenses
ana then had to pay % cents for
every . cent dish they broke out of |
that paltry sum. Some of the hote,
guest are Kind and generous to |
these girls and it goes against their
better natures to have to serve them
old stale bread when they call for J
toast. Such conditions as these are a |
hlsgrace to civilization. Those who |
no the necessary work are forced to |
I'VE upon n crust. You are only wo.'5
ing girls the plain coarse fare is
sood enough for you, the delicious !
ana Injuries are for the idle rich |
Under our present system of govern
inent the daughters of the poor no
matter how worthy, must become tho
tumble servants of the rich parasites,
SUBJECT to their insults and OPPRESSION |
III order to earn 4 bare existence |
Some are driven to sell their bodies
10 Keep the grim wolf want from
their door and still there are people
that wonder where the houses
OIL prostitution gets their recruits. We
glory in the spunl and courage of
these young ladies in refusing to sub
NIT to such outrageous as was i'm
posed upon them, by the steward of
thls motel let others serve the stale |
toast and eat their coarse fare.