The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-12-01
FOR A
BIG LABOR URI0HH
EwaIIko Reports That Agitation
for Organization Is on
Among Laborers.

lAilOt NUNNmutN aus--ht inviting I
Of tho labor union hold last evening"
Leader David Moses Ewaliko made the
that he had been ap- |
by we'll known Japanese on
both this island and on Maui. who had |
told him that they we're preparing to
start among their own eountrymen an
agitation on lines similar to that which
Ewalko had started among the citi. /
zens.
on tho whole the meeting was n very
interesting one, at which number of
propositions of general interest were
discussed. Before the meeting of the
general union took uphce, the newly
formed painters union held a meeting.
At this the financial secretary, Ewaliko,
was instructed to communicate with
the painters in Honolulu and on Maui,
encouraging them to form unions Of
their own and to agitate the questions
of better pay and shorter hours.
AT this meeting the organizer, also
Ewaliko, was likewise instructed to
communicate with the teamsters, cleo
tricians and carpenters all over the
group, with the intention that union
branches of men engaged in the trades
named might be formed on each island.
Hours and Wages.
At the regular longshoremen Is union
meeting, which followed that of the
painters, the first matter taken up was
kick which was waited from Homo
iii by some of the men working on the
Arioli Brothers contract, Henry West
being the speaker. These men wanted
to know whether the work on which
they were engaged could be considered
as private work or whether it was gov
ernment work. The reason why they
wanted to know lay in the fact that
they were working nine hours a day,
whereas under the law, eight hours was
specified as the length of the work day
on government work.
Joe Vierra explained that the ATiolis
were asking their men to work the
extra hour only in order to make up
for the stage fare of their men be-
tween Honolii and Hilo, which the con-
tractors paid. Ewaliko stated that to
make the men work nine hours was a
violation of the law. He suggested
that the men should pay their own
stage fare, provided they were paid
$l.75. This figure he thought was rea-
sonable as they had to work in the
water most of the time. The matter
was finally placed in the hands of Eva.
liko for settlement.
Belt Road Wages.
One of those present started up Q
discussion on fruitful topic by de
manding to know whether the mucl
desired two dollars day wage for worl
on the belt road was Forthcoming
Vierra argued that the present rate o.
$3.50 day was sufficient compensa
tion as a general rule, though, in cases
where men gave better value, the rat,
should be raised to SO. There was con
siderable discussion as to whether il
would be advisable to urge the adop
tion of uniform schedule for belt roat
work throughout the entire island.
Make It Unanimous.
Ewaliko moved that this matter b.
left until the next regular meeting o
the union, when it might be voted upon
; 1t was also decided to refer the two
= dollar n day question to the union
, on the other islands in order that the
might vote thereon. In case all tn
unions should agree new wage sched
ule on these lines might be adopted
and could be placed in effect in Jan
uary. Ewaliko argued, In support o
, the raising of the laborers' pay, tha
the price of meat, fish, poi, rent an
. other necessities had risen steadily
. whereas the only thing which had no
/ risen in price was labor. AS the liy
4 ing expenses of the laborers had in
J. creased, their wages should increase i
o the same ratio.
}. Ewaliko added that it was his II
h tention to communicate with the leat
Q ing laboring men of all classes on a
e the islands in order united agitatio
!. might be begun along this line.
The Japanese Allies.
Ewaliko also informed his hearel
that he had recently been approache
by prominent Japanese in Hilo, WI
had informed him that great intere
a was being taken among the Japanei
re in the union agitation, and, while th'
N understood that the union movemel
ID was for the benefit of citizen lab
g only, the Japanese believed that th'
were bound to benefit from any ge
lt eral increase of wages, and they we
OF preparing TO organize themselves
II somewhat the same plan as the lab
y unions. Ewaliko had also been a
n preached by Japanese from Maui W
pc had told him that on that island I
a japanese were getting ready TO for
% organizations somewhat similar to Ew
liko's union, and that, while &
nationalities which the two moyemeu
sought to benedt, were different /
m general object was the same. EWali
m had assured his Japanese friends u
they were working for a common a
he and that there WAS every reason v
MT they should work together,
up. For Direct Primary.
ny The direct primury Law was anoil
me subject taken up, aud u Was deela
A.. that thn union should come out oiiei
~ ~ 81 in aYor of the adoption OF suei
~ lass for Hawaii All the ofganiaatii
h will bp asked a. instruct their 20,
eet hera Ia regard 10 tha nature aud obi
tbe Of aurh leglblaiian. similar action !
tM taken III FaHHfd ~ Hn rmulnFnfa AH