New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09
HarbOr Strike
Far Over.
Say Union Men
Continued from page i

Independents led T. V. O'Connor. in
ternational president of the Long
shoremen's Association, to declare that
the independents are cracking. They
will soon come to terms" This con-
fidence was not shared by Thomas L..
Delahunty, president of the utilization
+, and leader of the marine engineers.
II expect we will have a good long
fight said he, land we are planning
accordingly. Our treasury is fine and
fat, and there is much more where that
Element with everybody, but nobody
ever lost a fight by being prepared.
We're prepared for everything that
may come"
Grievance Explained by Vaccarelli
The grievance of the less skilled
men was explained by Mr.. Vaccarelli
out in the meeting of the utilization.
THE firemen, oilers, cooks, deck
hands and porters," he said, "are mem
bers of the Harbor Boa,men and the
Port and Terminal Workers unions
The firemen get but 80 cents a month
increase. As all Of them who worked
on the ferries had the eight-hour day
before the strike, that is their net gain
by the award. The oilers on these
boats get but $3.50 month increase
The porters, who get $85 a month, re-
main where they were.
"These men must have more money
The porter is entitled to not less than
| 500 month; the oilers, who now get
$l15 to 1920 a month, must have $140;
the f1remen, who are now paid S115
must have $135, and the deckhands
who get $l05, should have $3.50.
working alone, the port and ter
minal workers tied up this port not
long ago, and if they are forced to it
they will do it again. In agreeing to
man the ferries they have shown a
commendable spirit. But this does not
mean that they will be content with
the railroad folk will see the justice of
their position"
The Joker" is the award to the tide
water boatmen who operate coal. grain
and sand barges was discovered by
Paul B0nynge, counsel for the indie
pendent boat owners, before the rail
road managers awoke to the exact
meaning Of the terms they had offered
The section of the award referring to
these men says:
when required to be on boat for
watching, towing, discharging or load
ing cargo, $3.50 per night will be paid"
This was meant by the railroads to
provide for payment for work in the
harbor, the Glowing" referred to COW
ering the moving of boats from
wharves ~ loading pier or anchorage
AS matter of fact. the barges arc
towod for days at time, so that lit
eral reading Of the clause gives the
men $50 for practically every night
In tho month. AS the base pay Ia $l10
a month, this makes their wages $t4b
ii month.
In railroad circles the belief was
Expressed yesterday that the union
would not insist upon this strict In
depreciation of the clause, and that
John Brennan, the leader Of the men.
who Oh Friday was duly thankful for
what he thought gave his men not
more than Sl2b month, would agree
to the railroad Interpretation.
"I'm not saying what the clause
means, or what the men will insist
will say this: Every time the railroad
bosses put anything over on our poor
uneducated fellows they insisted on
their standing by the signed agree
ment. Pm not saying what we will
ask them to do, but / am saying what
good sports would do.
Anyway, it was their proposition,
not mine. It's their own fault if they
did not know the gun was loaded"
"The tidewater boatmen," Mr.. Be-
nynge said, referring to this clause
ARE given by the award $3.50 a year.
This is just four times tteir pre-war
rating. BY the award they are en-
titled to it. Our people cannot think
of such thing"
For the Independents, II. N. Lee