Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-07-22
WE'RE STARVING,
P|T|ABLEC CRY OF
/ CITY SWEEPERS
SIS Weekly Is Aver
age Wage of Heads
of Large Families.
STRIKE AN ALTERNATIVE,
THEY CLING TO PITTANCE
Distressing Conditions Found in
Homes of Laborers by
Evening Star.

In a desperate struggle against
Starvation wages paid by the city.
Newark street-cleaners are continu-
ing their fight today for an increase
In pay of five cents an hour and an
additional hour of work each day.
At a meeting on Saturday night.at
120 Bank street, attended by more
than 200 membefs of the Street Clean
ers' Union of Newark, the question of
q strike was left in allegiance until
after the meeting of the Board of
Works on Thursday afternoon. The
street cleaners have been given to IN
derstand that their grievance will be
considered by the board at that time.
A committee of four. headed by Sec
Rotary Hilfers, from the Essex Trades
Council. and a committee of six from
the Street Cleaners Union. will APP
pear before the board Thursday aft
ernoon.
A strike was warmly advocated by
Joseph Ferniccla, of So Delaney
street, at the meeting, but the more
conservative members of the union
SPOKE against a strike at this time.
I'VE cannot strike without the con-
sent and aid of our superior union
said Ralph Iovino, of 305 East Kin
e street. I'VE want to settle the
matter without a strike and without
trouble of n kind, but if the Board
of Works refuses to grant us any
relief, I'm afraid there will be trou-
BILE. Mr.. Mungle, of the board. told
me to wait and that he would AK
things all right, but he has not done
II. Commissioners Denman promised us
eight hours a day and now when we
go to him he shrugs his shoulders and
says, Wait a little while We have
been waiting and waiting and moth
ins's done. Now We are starving"
Fernicola suggested at the meeting
that all the members put their brooms
over their shoulders and march to
the city nall and make their demands
ir a spectacular way, but Dominic Co.
limo, president of the union, advised
against this plan.
Although the city charges the street
sweepers $1.50 for their white suits,
Colino said that he had purchased
two suits, union-made and identical
with those sold by the city, for 30
cents a suit.
That is all they are WORTH said
Colino, "and why should we be asked
to pay more?"
Privation Is Constant.
Many instances of poverty and dire
need have been discovered by the in
vestigation made by the Evening star
into the true conditions existing in
the homes of the city laborers. That
these men are the most poorly paid
employees in the cnty cannot be de-
MED.
A long list of laborers employed by |
the city, and whose families are on
the verge of starvation. has been OBJ
tanned. The heads of these families
sometimes are compelled to take home
a weekly pay envelope containing less
than SO. None of these laborers aver
ages more than IS the year round. and
the families are left in constant want
and privation.
The family of Carmine ~Iuzzolino, Alb
Chestnut street, was visited and dis
tressing conditions of poverty were
found. Mrs. ~Iuzzolino, the mother of
six children. was found without even
a pair of shoes in her possession.
Iuzzoline said that his average wage
is less than SIS a week.
Distressing Conditions Found.
Conditions especially distressing
and worthy of pity were found at the
following homes of city employees:
Giovanni L~ancrenzono, 425 Chestnut |
street. with a family of eight chill
dren; Allesandro Manzo, 1903 Warwick
street. with a family of nine children;
Vito Minello, SO Malvern street. with
a family of sever children; Francesca
Biandini, of SO Delaney street, with
a family of six children; Sabine Corsi.
Al Sheffield street, with a family of
i've children; Gregaria Seritello, 73
Monroe street, with a family of four
children, and Tony Parillo, 10 Adams
street. with a family of FIVE children.
In all of these instances the fami-
lies are dependent upon the head of
the house to, support them. and in all
Instances the income from the city
averages less than IS a week.