New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09
HarbOr Strike
Far arFrOnOyer.
Say Union Men
Only Ferries Running and
Deal With Railroads Not
Accepted by All Workers

Orders to strike on any pier where
vessels may be berthed by non-union
tugs and against any ship receiving
cargo or supplies from non-union
barges, lighters or floats were issued
yesterday to the $4,000 longshoremen
of this port
The order was issued by 1nterna-
tlonal Vice President f. Paul A. Vacca-
relli' who after issuing it declared
that far from being near the end, the
harbor strike has only begun"
Now that the ferries, which from
the start I insisted should not be
stopped, are running, the public will
suffer no inconvenience" he said, "but
the independent boat owners and those
who employ them will. I have ar
ranged to take care of the city's garb
age. We will supply the tugs neces-
sary to protect the city from any dan
ger from this source, and the general
pubic will be protected in every posi-
Bile way. Otherwise the fight is on.
Declare Award Inadequate
The difficulty with the railroads,
which were supposed to have settled
all of the grievances of the men on
Friday night, arises from the refusal
OF several thousand fremen, oilers.
cooks and deckhands to agree to what
they declare to be an Inadequate
award. The award gave these men in
creases of from so cents to S1.50 a
month and no reduction in hours. Un-
I'll this is changed they will work on
none but ferryboats, and then only un-
der protest to protect their rights.
On the other hand, the railroads find
they have grievance in the form of a
Joker" by which the tdewater boat
men, who were extremely grateful for
an increase from $50 to possible sl25
month, are given S155 month. Yet
another "joker" cuts the wages of GER
tain classes Of engineers about $40 q
month.
Development Of these defects in the
settlement with the railroads left Fed
eral Mediator James L. Hughes with
out q basis on which to seek set
tlemcnt with the independent boat
owners.
He Still Has Hopes
After spending most Of the day with
the representatives Of the independents
he left for Philadelphia to rest over
Sunday, hopeful that on his return to
New York Monday he may be able to
find something on which both sides
may agree.
In his conferences with the represcn-
tatives of the independents Mr.. Hughes
made no headway yesterday, the inde-
pendents insisting that they would un-
der no circumstances consider accept
ing the railroad award, or anything
that involves reduction in working
hours. While they made little effort to
put their boats TO work, they continued
hiring ex-soldiers, sailors and marines
for strike breaking duty.
The difficulty with the oilers. fire.
men, cooks and deckhands deyeloped
early yesterday, when. after an all
night session, the Harbor Workers
Union and the Port and Terminal
Workers, in which these men hold
membership, refused to accept the
terms offered by the railroads and
agreed to by the Marine Workers' A.
iiliation strike committee. The most
they would agree to was Mr.. Vaccarcl-
lis proposition that they return to
work on the ferries pending further
negotiations.
Committee Works Sunday
This situation was taken up at a
meeting Of the Marine Workers Affilia-
tion yesterday, but no action was taken.
the strike committee holding that the
fight on tho independents was the more
important. There were also negotia-
tions with many Of the indcpe ndcnts
who wished 10 resume business and
with the coastwise steamship lines con
trolIed by the railroad administration
Several Of the independents signed up
during the day, and 1t Is expected the
coastal situation will be settled this
afternoon.
The defections from the ranks OF the