The sun., 1919-03-04
$1,000 BOATMEN
VOTE TO TIE UP
HARB0R TO-DAY
q. s. Ships and Municipal
River Craft Excepted; May
Let the Ferries Run.
DEMAND HIGHER WAGES
'Tight to Finish" Is Slogan
Of Both Sides After Final
Failure to Agree.
DEMAND HIGHER WAGES

Sixteen thousand New York harbor
workers win go on strike this morn
ing at 9 o'clock. At that hour all
shipping in the port except Federal
troopships and hospital boats and craft
plying between the city and the insti-
tutions on Randall's. Blackwelrs and
Hart's islands win come to a stand
still.
Ferry workers were included In q
strike call sent out last night, but 1t
was announced that at a meeting to
be held at 9 o'clock this morning the
Marine Affiliation will modify the or
der so as to permit operation over
the Staten Island ferries for the pur-
pose of transporting passengers, milk.
mail and newspapers only.
Tho order for the strike, which was
thought to have been averted, was is
sued late yesterday afternoon after a
long meeting between the union off,
cials and the representatives of the
employers, private and Federal Ne
rotiations for q compromise on the
Macy award reached a deadlock and
the conference broke UP with both
sides declaring that this time they
would make it fight to hnish'
Ready -for battle to Finish.
Now We know that we have
no boards or commissions to go
to-" exclaimed Capt. william A.
Maher, business manager OF the
Masters. Mates and Pilots Associa-
ton and vIce-president OF the Marine
Aflliation, when he announced that the
thirty-nve delegates to the council o'
>e unions had voted unanimously te
% out on strike. Now We know this
Ia a battle to the finish'
This is the product OF red eyed anc
unreasoning Bolshevism." declared Pau
Bonynge. counsel for the private own
srs. "It must be met IN precisely the
same way that It was met In Seattle
Mayor Hanson has achieved an interna
t,onal reputation in upholding a Mac,
award on the Pacific coast, and zee
sure that Mayor Hylan will not mis-
the like opportunity that Is now pre-
sented to him in this port.
1--WE have gone our limit We vii
make no more overturesL To-Day w
offered the unions the choice OF an!
one OF three courses. viz:
81. Abide by the Macy award, to
which they bound themselves wnen
they submitted the case to the Ma
tional War Labor Board.
80. An increase in the wage scale.
with working conditions to remain
as they are.
"3 Form a new board. composed
OF equal numbers of employers ana
employees. to investigate and decide
upon wages and working conditions
All Proposals Are Rejected.
1.-THE union representatives refuse
20 accept any one OF these proposals
We are going to fight them to nnisi
From our point of view they couldn
have chosen a better time to strike.
is the slack season in the port. for on
thing. And the fact that they nave ovei
ridden the Macy award the way the
have done has weakened their case o'
fore the public, which will see that "
have been fair and more than falr
oar dealings with these men,
Capt. Maher anne Lncel as-S1e teFs
OF settlement the unions would accel
the same ones they asked early
January, when three-day strike WI
ended through the offices Of Presidel
Wilson and the demands were submitt'
10 the Jurisdiction of the National WI
Labor Board by the workers. They a.
the eight-hour day. increases in u
scale of wages averaging 30 per cen
and time and one-half for overtime.
The award OF v. Everit Macy, Il
umpire appointed by the War Lab
Board TO review the testimony 1t HI
taken in a series of hearings at 4
City Hall, provided an eight-hour d'
for workers on double-crew boats onl
and conceded time and one-half (
overtime, but denied all the deman
for increases in the wage scale
Macy Decision Unsatisfactory.
According to the union officials I
application OF the Macy eight-hour d
award would affect only 100 out OF 7
eelf-propelled craft in the harbor.
these 100 boats Of various classes,
Guiding ferries and railroad boats, ]
have the eight-hour day already, q
cordirg to Capt. Maher. He asset
that In operation the Macy ava
would rob the men in some cases
advantages they now enjoy instead
conceding them anything.
Although the eight-hour day. accoI
.ng to Capt. Maher. Is the paramor
\ issue. an unexpected development
connection with the attitude of
Railroad Administration would have 81
frAd In itself, according to the UNI
men. TO precipitate the strike. Ur
yesterday the representatives OF
administration had played rather
passive part in the negotiate
<,a.,t.u.d os asy.nfh paos