New-York tribune., 1919-02-25
Shoe Workers
Quit Shops, Ask
Eigght-Hour Day
Strike Declared To-day Will
Affect IS Factories and
$4,000 E m p 10y G $
of Long Pending Struggle

Strike in the shoe industry of Man
haitian and Brooklyn began to-day
among 1000 members Of the Goodyear
Operators Protective Association,
whose men went to work this morning
with the intention of declaring
"struck" all factories refusing to grant
the eight-hour day.
Raymond P. Morse, chairman Of the
labor board of the Shoe Manufact-
urers' Board of Trade, said eighty-fvc
factories with a combined daily output
of $4,000 pairs of shoes were involved
and that $1,000 employees would be
affected in a few days.
Mr.. Morse accused the workers of
declining to arbitratc.
Explanation Of the situation in the
shoe industry from the labor point
Of view was given yesterday by Harry
Lee, of the Goodyear Operators Pro
tective Association, who blamed the
tactics of the manufacturers for the
situation.
Mr.. Lee explained that there arc
some fiftythree operations involved in
the making of shoe, and the opera
tlves, therefore, are not "shoemakers"
who complete the product, but shoe
workers, who perform highly special
lied operation. Of all the operations
that of "lasting" the shoe was most
important and required most skill,
said Mr.. Lee. But they have not been
getting the most pay, he SAYS,
Want Forty. .cight-Hour Week
."However, the men are satistied
with their wages" he continued, "bur
are not satisfied with the number of
They are asking for forty eight-hour
week. ~
"To this demand the Shoe Manufact-
urers' Association has replied with
price list, demanding that the prices
be standardized, at the same time in
vlting committee to discuss matters
At a special meeting called by the
union such a committee was elected
for that purpose.
Looking over the price list the
committee found that q good many
shops were paying more than was Of
tered BY the manufacturers associa~
ton. The committee then decided to
bring the prices up to the level of tho
shops paying more, and with this
suggestion approached the labor board
of the manufacturers association. onlv
to be told that the manufacturerss
would have no dealings whatever with
the union unless it would first CON
sent to an arbitration agreement.
Says Employers Were Impatient
"a special meeting of the union was
called Wednesday, February 10. to
vote on arbitration. The labor board
of the manufacturers association be-
came so impatient that on the dav
prior to the vote it issued state
ment that the union was contemplating
a strike.
"Ths statement Of the manu-
facturers was the sole cause of the
men voting against arbitration. But
that did not mean a strike. It lust
left the situation in the same position
as before. But it seems the manu-
tacturers' association is determined to
force the issue. On the following day
men in shops controlled by the manu-
facturers' association were notified
that any help reporting later than
a. m. would be kept out.
This so aggravated the men that
they formed an executive board of
their union to Immediately cali a sne-
cial meeting of all the shops, which thew
did Friday morning. There the men
unanimously voted to demand the
eight-hour day.
The men went to work as usual
Monday morning, and any firm refusing
to consent TO an eight-hour day will
be declared on strike"