The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-19
10000 Workers Ordered to
Continue at Their Tasks
Pending Arbitration.
HEARING TO BE SATURDAY
Boat Owners May Ignore Invi.
tation to Attend-Oppose
Eight Hour Day.


hours and an increase in pay were |
ordered late yesterday to continue work |
until the National War Labor Board |
arhitrates their demands. |
This board, Of which Basil NJ. Manly |
is chairman, will hold a hearing Satur-
Tall, to which representatives OF the
marine workers and the employers
have been invited.
1t is quite possible the 200 boat
owners will ignore the invitation. They
maintain that neither this board nor
the New York Harbor Wage ADJUST
ment Board or United States Shipping
Board has any jurisdiction over the
settlement of the dispute, and say
that ut best three commissions can
only use moral suasion They already
have ignored the New York board
and consider that it has ceased to
exist. Their member of the board,
Frederick A. Bishop OF the Iron
Steamboat Company, resigned yes
terday, and consequently they have no
representation now. The boatmen
have T. V. O'Connor, president OF the
international Longshoremen's Union,
on the board as their spokesman.
4s Hour Notice Not Given.
As a matter of fact, the strike
could hardly have been called for to-
day anyway, for the licensed marine
workers. under the regulations, would
have to give forty-e eight hours notice
before they quit, and this they failed
to do. The boat owners expected the
strike to be called for next Monday.
In any event, they are sitting tight
and are not worrying over the situa-
| ton. They are willing to arbitrate the
| wage increase demand, but absolutely
refuse to arbitrate the eight hour re-
quest. 1t Is their contention that the
eight hour schedule cannot apply to
boatmen, who now work twenty-four
hours and lay of twenty-four hours
| According to the demands presented
by John Brennan, president of the
boatmen. which he feels are fair, It is
| figured by the employers that a worker
on coal barge, grain or canal boat
would received $7,12S.45 a year, a cook
on towboat would get S3414S4 an
nually. fireman s3,56s. an engineer
s2,65S and a captain SAFES. These
they work or not. The increase asked
Is between 20 and 80 per cent. They
received an increase last July, which
was to be in effect until May 81, 1919
When the employees, numbering
$4,000. found that the owners refused
to arbitrate meeting was called yes
terday by the boatmen, and subsc-
quently a meeting OF all affiliated ma
rine workers, at &c Park place. Mean
while, B. NJ. Squiers of the Depart
ment of Labor who is acting chairman
Of the New York Harbor Wage Ad-
Justment Board, together with the
other members of that commission,
were in Washington comforting with
the United States Shipping Board and
Department of Labor heads in the en-
deavor to avert strike.
L. s. May Operate Lines.
AS a result, n telegram was sent to
the marine workers meeting, notifyin,;
them of the decision of the War Labor
Board to hold a hearing. II this body
passes an order in favor of the en-
ployees the action will strengthen the
workers position, for then what they
will be asking will be not the conces-
, sion of certain demands, but the recoR-
milton OF Federal order. If the boat
owners refuse to obey such order-and
, there is every reason to believe they
will II it calls for an eight hour day
then in all probability the Government
will operate the marine lines under the
war emergency act.
, On account Of the serious situa-
ton which a tieup of New York har-
: Dor at this time would precipitate the
Shipping Board outlined its position
J yesterday to both owners and en-
ployees in these words:
The emergency conditions OF the
war which required a continued anC
: uninterrupted movement of vessels is
: not yet over and a tieup of New York
: harbor at this time would involve the
: gravest of consequences. There art
still in the American armies in Eu-
2 rope over a million and half men
] and 1t is inconceivable that the Amer
5 lean people or it's Government would
! permit any action which would imperi
I the movement of foods and supplies tC
] these Americans, now that their tasl
Of fighting is over.
! There is also the nations obliga
( ton to its own citizens TO bring bach
to America as rapidly as circumstance!
= will allow hundreds of thousands o
American troops awaiting transporta
= ton on the other side. Under no cir
cumstances should any of the parte
t in their action permit the work in New
n York harbor. so vital TO ourselves ant
our allies, to become tied up by
n controversy which is capable of peace
i able adjustment"
II the 5000 marine workers wer
70 strike they expect the $4,000 long
shoremen will quit also