New-York tribune., 1919-10-01
Fight for 44-Hour Week
and 25 Per Cent PAY
Increase Involves ITO
Yards in This District
Question of Hours
Made Chief Issue
Workers Want Saturday
Half Holiday of Sum-
mer Made Permanent

Nearly 100000 workers in the ship
yards in and near New York probably
will be called out on strike to-day to
back up their demands for forty
four hour week and a 25 per cent in
crease in wages, according to a labor
lender in close touch with the Metal
Trades Council.
After several conferences with II
II. Gunder, district representative OF
the United States Shipping Board and
head of the local Labor adjustment
board, a committee OF the council with
drew TO its Office at 81 Duane Street
last night and made q report to the
executive council. At the request OF
the Shipping Board no statement was
issued, but the men said they would
stand pat OIL their demands. At the
Shipping Board Offices it was eaid the
matter is now III the hands Of the
Washington authorities.
It is not expected the strike will
be general. Two of the largest yards
in the city are members of the Atlantic
Coast Shipyards Association, which
metal trades department Of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor to settle ali
questions of hours and wages by arbi-
tration. The contract becomes oper-
ativc this morning. Both the Downey
Shipbuilding Corporation. Of Staten
Island, and the Standard Corporation
Of Shooters Island, the New York
yards affected b. The agre emcnt, have
been allowing their employees TO work
the fortyfour- hour week.
Wage Now so Cents an Hour
Boilermakers, pipe filters, plumbers
lnachlnlsts, caulkers, pattern makers
and the entire force of the shipyards
are expected to go out. The average
wage of the machinists is so cents
an hour, which is below the rate paid
to men doing similar work in other
industries, according to one of The
union leaders. This the employers
deny. But the main fight of the men
viii be centred around the forty-four-
hour week
Under the Macy award the mon were
working forty-four hours durin. the
summer months. There were times
when the union leaders charged that
this clause was violated by employers
who forced their mon to work forty~Iive
hours. They took the case to the Ship
ping Board and it was finally ordered
that the forty-four hour week must be
enforced for the summer months. Tow
ard the end of the summer period the
uliIUn lSducTS served IOl.Cc on inc EN-
ployers that they would demand that
the fortyfour-h week be continued
Lockout in Several Plants
Early in September tho men decided
to force the issue. They quit work d,
noon Saturday. When they returned t(
their yards Monday many OF ther
found they had been discharged Five
yards locked them ont. The next week
several other yards did the same.
Bot the two yards in Staten Islanc
which were members Of the Atlantic
Coast Shipvards Association allowed
the mon to WORK but half day on
Saturday. Conferences meanwhile were
being arranged between the Ship
ping Board representatives and the
Metal Trades Council. Mr.. Gunder
went to Washington several times ir
an attempt to avoid strike, but the
union leaders refused to give up their
stand for the forty-fourh hour week..
There are about 40 yards within the
New York district. 1t is expected the
district organizers of the several
unions will visit these yards early this
morning and inform the men that they
arc TO stand by their carly demands
The Metal Trades Council viii meet at
o'clock this afternoon, when it vii
make public announcement of it's posi-.
! tlON.