Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-09

ness and then touches off the charge
as he leaves his work at the end OF
| the shift The broken rock is picked
1up during the next shift and loaded
into the tram car by the trammers;
pushed into the shaft and there dump
ed into the skip, by means of which
it is raised to the surface. The great
est complaint comes from the tram
mers. Their work is harder, the hours
longer and the pay poorer than those
Of the miners.
The Workers.
! There are about 3S nationalities at
work in the mines of this district, the
Finnish being the predominating ma
| tionality.
The unon.
| The Western Federation of Miners
is the only nationally organized and
recognized union of metal miners. This
organization first came into the dis
trict and formed its locals in 1904. 1t
is claimed that practically all of the
! underground workers were members
OF the unionaat the time the strike was
called, or joined within few days
thereafter An effort was made to Sc
cure the membership in the union of
all the workers, those above the
ground as well as those below. Early
in July, 1913, vote was taken on the
question OF asking a conference with
mine managers and in the event of
this being denied, of calling a strike
The vote was favorable to calling the
strike, and July IA the Western Fed.
<nf h.
dent and secretary of the district un-
ion, comprising five locals, sent let
/; tiers to the mine managers 1t de-
manded conference on wages, hours
and work conditions, and threatened
a strike If an answer was not forth
coming by the twenty-first of the
month. These letters were ignored,
and in one instance a letter was re-
turned with the word refused" print.
ed across ii by the post office authori-
ties. On July 20 the strike was called
About 1850 men responded to the call
and the mines were completely tied
up. Operation was gradually resumed
with miners who had not joined the
| union, strike breakers and some min
ers who gave up union membership.
Some of the union miners left the dis
trict At the end of the strike the
unions say they were feeding about
1000 persons.
From the very first the mine mana-
gers began to exploit and condemn
I the history of the Western Fedora
ton of Miners and the records of its
leaders. But 1t seems apparent that
any union strong enough to make its
demands felt would have met the same
antagonism as has been shown the
Western Federation of Miners. This
is the only effective union to which
miners on metalliferous mines can be-
long. Its militant strength, even more
than its past history, seems to be the
real reason why the managers are
fighting It. ."
The demands Oh the men included
recognition of the union: the disuse
of the one man drill, or the working
OF two men on each drill; minimum
wage Of $500 for tramemrs and $3.50
per day for miners: and the the eight
hour day. The grievances we're that
men were subjected to petty tyranny
by the bosses in the mines, and tina.
they had no adequate way of present.
ing grievances to the MANAGEMENT
without mourning the disfavor of the
mine bosses, and the risk of ensuing
discrimination and discharge.
In the question of wages it ought
not to have been very difficult for the
strikes and the companies to get to-
gether. The average wage is almost
as high as the minimum demanded by
the union After the strike commenc.
ed the companies put the eight hour
day into effect.
The one man drill presents features
which only an expert can answer.
However, the demand of the men.
seems just While two men working
together might not produce as much
, as would the two working alone, still
! there are other advantages that would
more than compensate for the loss.
These mines are very deep: several of
the shafts measure more than mile
to the bottom level. Clearly the miners
are making reasonable demand when
they insist that two men should work
in one of these underground chambers
rather than a single individual, or at
least the men should work in slopes
near enough so that in case of accident
man would not be absolutely alone.
Violence. ~
There was considerable violence at
the outset. Some of the men stayed
at work and many of these were as.
saulted. ..... .:...at y 4
1t became the usual custom for the
strikers to waylay the workers as they
went to the mines in the morning, and
lawlessneSs and rioting became com.
mon. One morning an automobile was
fired upon by group of strikers. Two
hundred deputies armed with clubs
were sent out to guard the property
of the mines. They were greeted by
the strikers with jeers and chased off
the streets. train bringing in strike
breakers to work in the Ahmeek mine
was attacked by rioters and stones and
shots were fired and thrown at the
train so that it was compelled to
back UP to Calumet without deliver
ing the men. The evidence seems to
warrant the statement that the ,,nions