The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-08
employees OF NINE
CAFES STRIKE WHEN
DEMANDS NOT MET
Restaurant Owners Say
High Food Prices Pre-
vent Concessions
STRIKERS PARADED
HEADED BY BAND
All Classes Employees in Eating
Houses Represented in Union
Neutrality-suspicious. Pay and
Shorter Hours Asked

No change in the walters strike
which went into effect yesterday morn
ing, was noted up until an early hour
this morning. Restaurant men say
they anticipate no trouble and that
they do not intend to accede to the
unions demands
One hundred restaurant employees
walked out of nine cafes yesterday
morning at IL o'clock on strike. The
strikers presented their demands to the
various restaurant keepers Wednesday
afternoon Walters and dishwashers,
counter helpers, butchers and cooks
are affected by the walkout.
The demands of the men consist of a
l0-hour work day, time and a half for
overtime, one day off with pay out
OF every seven, grievance committee
to settle differences between employe
and employer and a minimum wage
scale for all employees in excess of that
already in force.
A parade. headed by a brass band,
was held by the strikers yesterday
afternoon at 6 o'clock, a permit hav-
ing been granted by the commission
Tor this purpose. No reports of dis
order have been registered with the
police department
KING is LEADER
B. W. King, business agent of the
machinists' union, and an organizer of
the American Federation of Labor, is
leading the strikers. He stated that
the local union of Restaurant EN-
ployes' International Alliance of Amer
lea has obtained charter No. 2S1
THE strike has been brewing for
the past week, although the restaurant
men were not aware that an actual
strike would be called until Wednes-
day night when the demands of the
employees were presented" said Arthur
Greenwood, proprietor of Greenwood s
cafe. "The present wage for walters is
$50 and up per month and board and
they work IL hours per day."
Despite the strike, meals were served
in all the restaurants yesterday. Some
Of the regular help did not walk out
and additional men were placed in
the places of those who did strike. The
proprietors, in many instances, donned
Jackets and aprons and went behind
the counter to wait on the patrons
quarters at 1859 Second avenue,
where two sessions will be held daily.
None Of the hotel cafes is affected
by the strike, they in most instances
employing negro help. A minimum
wage of $12 weekly is asked by the
walters; $3.50 per week for counter
helpers; second cook, SIG; butcher,
$1,000. No dishwasher shall receive
less than 81, according to the demands
Tha Of ole
any enploye now receiving more than
the minimum scale asked shall not be
reduced upon going back to work.
HIGH FOOD PRICES
Chris Colias, proprietor of Chris
restaurant in speaking of the strike,
said: II have been in business for a
number of years and I know the pres
ent prices of food in this city are high
err than ever before. Despite this fact
all the restaurant keepers in Bir-
mingham have paid their employees a
liberal wage. If we are forced to pay
more wages the public will have to
stand the raise, and the restaurant
keepers do not think they have a right
to place this additional expense on the
public without hearing from them. L
pay my walters as high as $50 per
month. 7 pay my water boys $35 per
IHOItu. 1 10 IlOI lHAiih LILO SITlhcTS
should walk out on such short notice
and the restaurant keepers will not
allow their claims"
The restaurant keepers state they
are not willing to submit to all the
demands Of the union and that they
will continue to operate until matters
can be adjusted. The following officers
of the union were elected yesterday:
Andrew Kalitzakis, president; Mike
Kelly, vice president; Bennett Ellis,
chaplin James Christopher, financial
secretary; Fred Hill, recording secre-
tary; Andrew Coustos, inner guard
George Coccouis. inside inspector;
Lewis Vlamais, John Parks and c. P.
Williams. trustees.
The restaurants affected are: Chris,
Plaza, Lontos. Metropolitan, Joe Wheel
ers Greenwood's No. 1 and No. 2, Ven
able's and the Little Gem.
There was some divergence between
the statements of the restaurant pro-
prietcrs and the members of the union
as to the amount Of wages paid the
men. Jack Christian, one of the wait
ers, who states that he has been en-
ployed at one of the local restaurants
for the past four years. takes issue
with the statement of the owners. THE
walters do not receive $50 per month";
he said. '.At the place 1 work the
highest priced waiter gets $45 and the
wages range from that sum down to
$35. OF course, some of the cooks are
paid from $50 to $50 Another thing,
most of the walters work ~ hours a
day."